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☆ We're upping our price target on Costco after another steady quarter fortifies our thesis
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-26 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

The report didn't blow us away, but it still offered plenty of reminders on why Costco investors should stick around. Total revenue in its fiscal 2024 fourth quarter totaled $79.7 billion, missing analysts' expectations of $79.97 billion, according to estimates compiled by LSEG. Costco has succeeded for decades, but the high inflation of recent years has made the company's value-focused ethos really shine. Put it all together, we're increasing our price target on the stock to $950 a share from $875. In the quarter, Costco's membership renewal rate in the U.S. and Canada came in at 92.9%, a tick lower than the 93% rate observed in the third fiscal quarter, while worldwide held constant at 90.5%.

Persons: Gary Millerchip, Ron Vachris, Millerchip, it's, Kirkland, Costco's, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Justin Sullivan Organizations: Costco, LSEG, Wholesale, Walmart, Club, Amazon, Costco's, Kirkland, Kirkland Signature, Management, U.S, CNBC Locations: Costco's, Yemen, U.S, Canada, Maine, Richmond , California

☆ How to pay 0% tax on capital gains pulled from a brokerage account on up to $123,250 of qualified income
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-22 | by ( Laila Maidan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

But, in some cases, you could withdraw from the account and incur zero capital gains tax if you remain within the IRS's specified income brackets, he noted. This means that if you're filing jointly, your income can be as much as $123,250 in 2024 — $29,200 income in tax-free income thanks to the standard deduction plus $94,050 in qualified investment income — and still pay 0% capital gains tax if you have no other income source, Hook noted. If your brokerage account allows you to sell by lots, you can select which shares to sell based on the capital gains they have accumulated, he added. This would allow you to withdraw more while keeping your capital gains low. State income tax rates aren't impacted and will vary depending on where you live.

Persons: Jeremy Schneider, wouldn't, Schneider hasn't, Schneider, Howard Hook, Hook, LIFO, that's Organizations: Service, CFP, CPA, IRS, Social Security

☆ Costco shares dip despite earnings beat. There's no cause for investor concern
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Jeff Marks | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

On an annual basis, Costco's EPS grew 29%. After closing at a record $815.34 per share Thursday, Costco's stock declined about 1.5% in extended trading. Core merchandise was flat on a reported basis, but a two-basis-point improvement when excluding the impact of gasoline. Costco's reporting segment for so-called "other" items saw a 57-basis-point benefit on a reported basis and a 56-basis-point benefit ex-gas. Costco's inflation update remained encouraging.

Persons: We're, Ron Vachris, Gary Millerchip, Vachris, Millerchip, Costco didn't, that's, Richard Galanti, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim Organizations: Costco Wholesale, Costco, LSEG, Wholesale, Walmart, Club, Amazon, CNBC, Costco Self, Ucg, Getty Locations: U.S, Canada, Queens , New York

☆ Analysts loved Costco's earnings report—Here's where they say the stock is headed next
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Brian Evans | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Lasser also labeled Costco stock as "the gold standard." Bank of America's Robert Ohmes reiterated a buy rating on Costco stock, with a $610 per share price target. Morgan Stanley's Simeon Gutman, meanwhile, restated an overweight rating on Wednesday, accompanied by a $585 per share price target or roughly 6% upside. Goldman Sachs analyst Kate McShane kept a buy rating on Costco stock following Tuesday's quarterly results, but boosted her price target to $603 from $589. He remains neutral on Costco stock with a $530 target price, which is 4% lower than where shares recently closed.

Persons: Costco, Michael Lasser, Lasser, Bank of America's Robert Ohmes, Ohmes, Morgan Stanley's Simeon Gutman, Morgan Stanley, Gutman, Goldman Sachs, Kate McShane, McShane, JPMorgan's Christopher Horvers, Horvers, Citi's Paul Lejuez, Lejuez, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Costco, LSEG, 4Q, UBS, Bank of America's Locations: U.S

☆ Costco delivers a strong quarter, and we see two catalysts ahead that could boost the stock
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Jeff Marks | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Total revenue for the reported quarter increased 9% year over year to $78.94 billion, beating analysts' expectations of $77.9 billion, according to estimates compiled by LSEG, formerly known as Refinitiv. COST YTD mountain Costco YTD Bottom line It was another good quarter down from Costco, as its leadership on price continues to drive people to its stores. Meanwhile, Costco has virtually been unaffected by the inventory and theft troubles facing the industry, a sign of operational excellence. Costco's reported gross margins, excluding membership fees (which flow directly into profits), expanded 42 basis points from last year to 10.6%. Core merchandise was a 51-basis-point improvement on a reported basis and 28-basis-point improvement excluding the decline in the price of gasoline from the year-ago period.

Persons: Tuesday's, it's, Costco's, Richard Galanti, Galanti, they've, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Gary Hershorn Organizations: Costco Wholesale, Costco, LSEG, Walmart, CNBC, People, Corbis, Getty Locations: United States, Costco, U.S, Canada, Bayonne , New Jersey

☆ What Bard said when Google VC asked the A.I. about the value of corporate diversity
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Carolyn Chun | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Stewart asked Bard, Google's first public version of a generative AI chatbot — and a rival to Microsoft -funded OpenAI ChatGPT — about the value of corporate diversity. The AI generated many of the points she makes in pushing the case for greater diversity in the workplace. Gradient is looking for founders that are building this AI "data moat" and "go-to expertise" into their businesses, she said. But she stressed that as AI is adopted, it is important that the development of the tech reflects diversity in development. Thinking about generational diversity may be as important as ethnic, racial and gender diversity as AI goes mainstream, too.

☆ Inflation Has More U.S. Companies Ditching ‘Last-In, First-Out’ Accounting
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Mark Maurer | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Newell Brands, maker of WoodWick candles and other consumer brands, is among the companies shifting some inventory accounting to FIFO from LIFO. U.S. companies from truck maker Oshkosh Corp. to consumer-goods conglomerate Newell Brands Inc. are moving away from “last-in, first-out” accounting, or LIFO, for their inventory, as inflation continues to pressure businesses’ earnings. Elevated inflation has weighed on companies’ earnings over the past two years, and economists expect it to remain above recent norms at least through this year. The producer-price index, a closely watched gauge of inflation at the wholesale level, rose 4.6% in February from a year earlier—well off the 11.7% annualized peak in March 2022 but still historically high.

☆ Costco Gets a Boost as Impact of Last-In, First-Out Accounting Fades
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Jennifer Williams-Alvarez | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Costco is seeing a slight decline in inflation, according to the retailer’s finance chief. With inflation stuck at high levels, some U.S. companies’ use of an accounting method that lowers their federal tax bill has increased costs and hit earnings. But for retail giant Costco Wholesale Corp., it is a different story. Companies including wholesale specialty foods distributor United Natural Foods Inc. and grocery chain Kroger Co. have recently announced last-in, first-out accounting—also known as LIFO—charges. Costco, meanwhile, had no LIFO charge for the quarter ended Feb. 12, compared with a $71 million charge a year earlier as the company sees some inflationary relief, said Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti .

☆ Costco's quarterly results show why we're long-term investors, despite softer sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Jeff Marks | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

After factoring in tonight's move lower, Costco shares have gained roughly 3.3% year-to-date, compared to a 3.7% increase in the S & P 500 . While it's a positive development to see Costco's margins expand from last year, it's also important to note that management doesn't run the business for profit margins. On the post-earnings conference call with analysts and investors, Costco management broke down all the levers of the quarterly margin performance. Costco's 2% reward program was a two-basis-point headwind on both sides due to more sales coming from Costco's executive members. February sales Alongside its fiscal second-quarter results Wednesday, Costco provided comparable sales for the four-week period ended Feb 26.

☆ Costco reports mixed quarter, but we see positive catalysts on the horizon
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Jeff Marks | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Margins Reported gross margins fell 45 basis points year-over-year, and 21 basis points excluding gas inflation. Core merchandise margins fell 52 basis points on a reported basis, and 31 basis points excluding gas inflation. Ancillary and other businesses' margins increased 23 basis points on a reported basis, and 30 basis points excluding gas inflation. LIFO — last in, first out — margins increased 3 basis points on a reported basis, and 3 basis points excluding gas. Other margins — a catchall bucket — fell 17 basis points on a reported basis and 18 points excluding gas inflation.

☆ Costco's quarterly results indicate the retailer is thriving despite high inflation
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Jeff Marks | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Margins Merchandise gross margins on a reported basis were 10.18% and down 74 basis points from last year, but excluding the impact of gas inflation it would have been lower by only 20 basis points. Core merchandise margins fell 67 basis points on a reported basis and were down 23 basis points ex gas inflation. Ancillary and other businesses' margins increased 20 basis points on a reported basis and 34 basis points excluding gas inflation. Elsewhere, "2% reward" reported margins were flat on a reported basis and fell 5 basis points ex gas inflation. LIFO — last in, first out — margins fell 27 basis points on a reported basis and 29 basis points excluding gas.

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