Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Weaker than Market" investment rating for the U.S. stock market [1] Core Insights - The U.S. stock market experienced narrow fluctuations with most sectors declining, as the S&P 500 fell by 0.3% and the Nasdaq by 0.1% [3] - There were 8 sectors that increased while 16 sectors decreased, with notable gains in Energy (+2.6%), Semiconductor Products and Equipment (+2.4%), and Transportation (+1.2%) [3] - Conversely, sectors that saw significant declines included Telecommunications (-4.8%), Insurance (-2.6%), and Banks (-2.5%) [3] Summary by Sections Market Overview - The S&P 500's estimated fund flow was -$5.7 billion this week, a decrease from the previous week's +$23.4 billion, with a total of +$216.4 billion over the last 13 weeks [4] - Fund inflows were observed in 11 sectors, with Semiconductor Products and Equipment leading at +$17.2 billion, followed by Transportation (+$6.0 billion) and Energy (+$4.1 billion) [4] - Sectors experiencing fund outflows included Software and Services (-$15.9 billion) and Automotive and Parts (-$8.2 billion) [4] Earnings Forecast - The dynamic F12M EPS forecast for S&P 500 constituents was adjusted upward by 0.3%, following a 0.2% increase the previous week [5] - Earnings expectations were raised for 21 sectors, with the highest adjustments in Integrated Finance (+0.8%), Automotive and Parts (+0.8%), and Semiconductor Products and Equipment (+0.8%) [5] - Three sectors saw downward revisions, notably Healthcare Equipment and Services (-1.0%) and Telecommunications (-0.2%) [5] Price Performance - The Energy sector recorded a price return of +2.6% this week, while the Telecommunications sector saw a decline of -4.8% [15] - Over the past 52 weeks, the Energy sector has increased by 5.1%, while the Telecommunications sector has decreased by 4.0% [15] - The Semiconductor Products and Equipment sector has shown a remarkable increase of +48.0% over the past 13 weeks [15] Fund Flow Analysis - The Industrial sector led with a net fund inflow of $781 million this week, followed by Energy with $409 million [19] - The Semiconductor Products and Equipment sector also saw significant inflows of $1.716 billion, indicating strong investor interest [19] - In contrast, the Software and Services sector experienced the largest outflow of -$1.594 billion [19]

Core Viewpoint - Costco Wholesale has significantly outperformed the broader market, with a 200% increase in stock price over the last five years, doubling the S&P 500's return during the same period [1] Group 1: Sales Growth and Opportunities - Costco's sales have accelerated post-pandemic, with annualized revenue growth of about 11% from fiscal 2019 to fiscal 2024, compared to 8% from fiscal 2010 to 2019 [2] - The company has substantial growth opportunities in e-commerce and non-food sales, with e-commerce sales increasing nearly 16% year over year last quarter [6][7] - Costco's competitive advantage lies in its membership model, with nearly 80 million paying households, allowing it to offer low prices and continue expanding [4] Group 2: Expansion Plans - As of the recent quarter, Costco operates 914 warehouses globally, with plans to open 24 new locations in high-quality markets such as Sweden, Japan, South Korea, and Canada [5] - The company is experiencing double-digit sales growth in various non-food categories, including jewelry, toys, and home goods, indicating strong demand for diverse product offerings [8] Group 3: Valuation Concerns - Costco's stock trades at a high earnings multiple of 54 times forward earnings, significantly above the S&P 500's forward P/E ratio of 26 [9] - The current P/E ratio is also above Costco's five-year average of 44, raising concerns about the sustainability of such a high valuation given the slowing sales momentum in e-commerce and non-food sales [10][11] - Analysts expect long-term earnings growth at an annualized rate of 9%, which may not justify the current high P/E, potentially leading to disappointing returns for investors [11][12]

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Core Insights - Costco's total comparable sales increased by 5.8% in June, driven by strong demand for fresh foods and non-food categories such as jewelry, major appliances, and gift cards [1] - The retailer's net sales rose by 8.0% to reach $26.44 billion during the retail month of June [3] Sales Performance by Region - In the United States, sales increased by 4.7%, while in Canada, sales rose by 6.7%, and in other international markets, sales grew by 10.9% [2] eCommerce Growth - Costco's eCommerce sales experienced an increase of 11.5% for the month [2] Sales by Category - Comparable sales in June showed high-single-digit growth in fresh foods, mid- to high-single-digit growth in non-foods, and mid-single-digit growth in June foods and sundries [4] - The ancillary business sales declined by low-single digits, and gas sales decreased by mid- to high-single digits [5] Consumer Behavior Trends - High-income consumers are increasingly seeking value, with affluent members trading down to private-label goods and lower-cost proteins [6] Delivery Enhancements - Costco partnered with Instacart to enhance delivery options, including Priority Delivery for faster service and No-Rush Delivery for scheduled orders [7]

Group 1 - Proactive provides fast, accessible, informative, and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience [2] - The news team covers medium and small-cap markets, as well as blue-chip companies, commodities, and broader investment stories [3] - Proactive has bureaus and studios in key finance and investing hubs including London, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney, and Perth [2] Group 2 - The company is focused on sectors such as biotech and pharma, mining and natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto, and emerging digital and EV technologies [3] - Proactive adopts technology to enhance workflows and improve content production [4] - All content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans, ensuring adherence to best practices in content production and search engine optimization [5]

Group 1 - Costco reported a retail sales growth of 8% in June, surpassing May's growth of 6.8% [1] - Comparable sales, adjusted for gasoline prices and currency, increased by 6.2% over five weeks, with international markets growing by 8.2%, Canada by 7.9%, and the U.S. by 5.5% [1] - Analysts have mixed views on Costco's outlook, with some noting a trend of declining U.S. foot traffic below 3% for two consecutive months [1] Group 2 - Evercore ISI analyst Greg Melich highlighted a core comparable sales growth of 6% but indicated a sales slowdown trend for the second half of the year [1] - Bank of America holds a more optimistic view, expecting a rebound in foot traffic in July due to extended store hours and additional Saturday hours [1] - UBS maintains a neutral stance, acknowledging a slowdown in overall comparable sales growth due to high base effects from gift card and precious metal sales [1] Group 3 - As of the report, Costco's stock rose 0.4% to $985.5, with a year-to-date increase of 7%, outperforming the S&P retail index ETF (XRT) [2] - Wall Street analysts generally rate Costco as "moderate buy," with an average target price of $1107.89, representing a 12% upside from the current stock price [2]

Core Insights - Costco reported net sales of $26.44 billion for June, reflecting an 8% year-over-year increase [1] - Comparable sales for the company increased by 5.8% during the same period [1] - Year-to-date net sales reached $227.46 billion, also up 8% year-over-year [1] - The company operates a total of 907 warehouses, with 624 located in the U.S. [1] Sales Performance - U.S. comparable sales increased by 4.7% [4] - Canadian comparable sales rose by 6.7% [4] - Other international markets saw a 10.9% increase in comparable sales [4] Stock Performance - Costco shares have risen approximately 7.15% year-to-date [2] - In after-hours trading, the stock was up 1.11%, priced at $982.09 [2]

Costco Wholesale (COST) 2025 Update Summary Industry Overview - The call pertains to the retail industry, specifically focusing on Costco Wholesale's performance during the five-week retail month of June 2025. Key Financial Metrics - **Net Sales**: Reported net sales for June 2025 were $26.44 billion, representing an 8% increase from $24.48 billion in June 2024 [2] - **Comparable Sales**: - US: 4.7% - Canada: 6.7% - Other International: 10.9% - Total Company: 5.8% - E-commerce: 11.5% [2] - **Comparable Sales Excluding Gas and FX**: - US: 5.5% - Canada: 7.9% - Other International: 8.2% - Total Company: 6.2% - E-commerce: 11.2% [3] Traffic and Transaction Insights - **Traffic Growth**: Comp traffic increased by 3.4% worldwide and 2.8% in the US [4] - **Average Transaction Value**: - Worldwide average transaction value increased by 2.4%, and by 2.8% when excluding gas deflation and foreign exchange impacts [5] Regional Performance - **Strongest US Regions**: Northwest, Midwest, and Southeast showed the best comparable sales performance [5] - **International Performance**: Australia, Mexico, and Taiwan reported the strongest results among other international markets [6] Merchandising Highlights - **Food Categories**: - Foods and sundries showed positive mid-single-digit growth - Fresh foods increased by high single digits, with meat and produce being top performers [6][7] - **Non-food Categories**: - Positive mid to high single-digit growth, with jewelry, majors, and gift cards performing well [7] - **Ancillary Business Sales**: Experienced a decline in low single digits, while pharmacy, hearing aid, and optical departments were top performers [8] External Factors Impacting Sales - **Gas Price Deflation**: Negatively impacted total reported comparable sales by approximately -0.9% [4] - **Foreign Currency Impact**: - Canada: +0.2% - Other International: +3.4% - Total Company: +0.5% [4] Future Outlook - The next reporting period will cover four weeks from July 7 to August 3, 2025, compared to the same period in 2024 [8]

Group 1 - The core point of the article is that Costco's same-store sales increased by 5.8% year-on-year in June [1]

Group 1 - Costco reported net sales of $26.44 billion for June 2025, an increase of 8.0% from $24.48 billion in June 2024 [1] - For the first 44 weeks of the fiscal year, net sales reached $227.46 billion, also reflecting an 8.0% increase from $210.55 billion in the previous year [1] - Comparable sales for the U.S. increased by 4.7% for the five weeks and 6.3% for the 44 weeks, while Canada saw increases of 6.7% and 4.6%, respectively [1] Group 2 - E-commerce sales showed significant growth, with a 11.5% increase for the five weeks and a 15.3% increase for the 44 weeks [1] - Comparable sales excluding the impacts from gasoline prices and foreign exchange were 5.5% for the U.S. over five weeks and 7.4% over 44 weeks [1] - The company operates 907 warehouses globally, with 624 located in the U.S. and Puerto Rico [2]