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On Thursday, Telsey Advisory Group maintained its Outperform rating on Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) with a steady price target of $1,100.00. The retail giant, with a market capitalization of $428 billion, maintains a "GREAT" financial health score according to InvestingPro analysis. The firm's analyst, Joseph Feldman, highlighted Costco's robust March sales performance, which exceeded expectations. Costco reported a March headline comparable sales growth (comp) of 6.4%, surpassing Telsey's forecast of 2.5%. This performance aligns with the company's consistent revenue growth, which stands at 6.13% over the last twelve months. This figure includes a positive impact of approximately 150 basis points (bps) from an additional shopping day due to Easter's timing shift.
The comp growth was achieved despite facing headwinds from gas price fluctuations and foreign exchange rates, which combined to a total negative impact of approximately 260 bps. When excluding these factors, Costco's core merchandise comparable sales showed a strong increase of 9.1%, well above Telsey's projection of 5.0%. Specifically, the core U.S. comp, excluding gas, was 8.7%, the core Canada comp, excluding gas and foreign exchange, was 10.6%, and the core Other International comp, excluding foreign exchange, was 9.9%.
Feldman's comments underscored Costco's effective execution and market share gains in March 2025. The company's ability to outperform in key markets, despite external economic pressures, demonstrates its strong position in the retail sector.
Costco's impressive sales figures for March come as a positive sign for investors, reflecting the company's resilience and strategic prowess in navigating a challenging retail environment. The maintained Outperform rating and price target by Telsey Advisory Group suggest a continued optimistic outlook for Costco's stock performance in the market.
In other recent news, Costco Wholesale Corporation reported an 8.6% increase in net sales for March, reaching $25.51 billion, a rise from $23.48 billion in the same period last year. For the first 31 weeks of the fiscal year, Costco's net sales climbed to $158.87 billion, marking an 8.3% increase. The company also saw significant growth in e-commerce, with online sales up by 16.2% compared to physical store sales. In response to U.S. tariffs, Costco has been urging its Chinese suppliers to reduce prices to mitigate the impact on profits. Meanwhile, Citi analyst Paul Lejeuz adjusted Costco's stock price target to $927 from $1,060, maintaining a Neutral rating, citing insights gained from a recent visit to the company's headquarters. DA Davidson also maintained a Neutral rating on Costco, keeping the price target at $1,000 following the grand opening of Costco's 900th club in Sharon, Massachusetts. Bernstein analysts noted that Costco, along with Walmart (NYSE:WMT), has relatively less exposure to new U.S. tariffs compared to other retailers. These developments highlight Costco's strategic efforts to navigate economic challenges while continuing its growth trajectory.
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