Summary of Costco Wholesale (COST) Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Costco Wholesale (COST) - **Market Cap**: $418.5 billion - **Enterprise Value**: $407.8 billion - **Industry**: Retail, Specialty Hardlines, Supermarkets, and Discount Stores Key Financial Results - **F4Q EPS**: $5.87, exceeding GS/consensus estimates of $5.85/$5.80 [19][20] - **Total Company Same Store Sales (SSS)**: +6.4%, in line with consensus but below GS estimate of +7.1% [19][20] - **Gross Margin**: 11.1%, above GS/consensus of 11.0%/10.9% [19][20] - **EBIT Margin**: 3.9%, compared to GS/consensus at 4.1%/3.9% [19][20] Membership Growth - **Total Paid Memberships**: 81.0 million, with a 7% year-over-year increase in membership income [13] - **Executive Memberships**: 38.7 million, representing 47.7% of all members, up from 47.2% last quarter [13] - **Incremental Sales from Extended Hours**: Estimated to contribute an additional +1% to U.S. weekly sales [13] Sales Performance - **Traffic Growth**: +3.7% contributing to SSS growth [2] - **Fresh Sales**: Up high single digits, driven by double-digit growth in meat [2] - **Non-Food Sales**: Up high single digits, with notable growth in gold, jewelry, and toys [2] - **Pharmacy, Optical, and Hearing Aids**: Continued strong performance [2] E-commerce Trends - **E-commerce Traffic Growth**: +27%, with significant increases in categories like gold, jewelry, and housewares [14] - **Delivery Improvements**: New delivery experience led to a +13% increase in items delivered [14] - **Personalized Offers**: Launched on the COST homepage, resulting in a +22% increase in traffic to product detail pages [14] Inflation and Cost Management - **Inflation Trends**: Remains in the low single digits (LSD) to mid single digits (MSD) range [14] - **LIFO Charge**: $43 million due to inflation impacts [14] - **Management Strategy**: Focus on changing assortments to mitigate inflation impacts, emphasizing high-ticket categories [14] Future Outlook - **12-Month Price Target**: Increased to $1,218 from $1,133, reflecting confidence in the company's value proposition [24] - **EPS Estimates**: Updated for FY26/27 to $19.68/$21.99, with a new FY28 estimate of $23.94 [22] Risks - **Competitive Landscape**: Risks from grocery, convenience, big-box, and e-commerce competitors [28] - **Macroeconomic Factors**: Potential headwinds from consumer demand and supply chain issues [28] Conclusion - **Investment Rating**: Reiterated Buy rating based on strong performance metrics and growth potential in membership and e-commerce [24]

Sales Performance - Comparable store sales for stores opened at least 1 full year increased by 12.2% for the 4-week period ended August 30, 2025, compared to the prior year [1] - Total net sales for the 4-week fiscal month rose by 13.4% to $119.2 million, up from $105.1 million in the same period last year [2] - Men's sales increased by 4% for the same period, representing approximately 49.5% of total sales, down from 54% a year ago [2] Women's Sales - Women's sales surged by 25.5% for the 4-week fiscal period ended August 30, 2025, compared to the prior year [3] - The women's business accounted for approximately 50.5% of total sales, up from 46% in the same period last year [3] - Overall price points for women's products increased by about 7% during the fiscal month [3] Accessories Sales - Accessory sales for the fiscal month increased approximately 10% compared to the prior year [4]

Summary of Buckle (BKE) Update - September 03, 2025 Company Overview - The company discussed is Buckle (BKE), a retail company operating in the apparel sector, specifically focusing on men's and women's clothing and accessories. Key Financial Metrics - Comparable store sales for the four-week period ended August 30, 2025, increased by **12.2%** compared to the same period in the previous year [1] - Total net sales for the same period rose by **13.4%**, reaching **$119.2 million**, up from **$105.1 million** in the prior year [1] Sales Performance by Category - **Men's Sales**: Increased by **4%** for the four-week period, representing approximately **49.5%** of total sales, down from **54%** in the prior year [2] - **Women's Sales**: Increased significantly by **25.5%**, accounting for approximately **50.5%** of total sales, up from **46%** in the previous year [2] - Overall price points for men's products increased by **1.5%**, while women's price points rose by **7%** [2][3] Accessory and Footwear Sales - Accessory sales increased by approximately **10%**, while footwear sales saw a slight decline of **0.5%** [3] - Accessories accounted for about **9.5%** of current fiscal August net sales, while footwear represented **4%** [3] - Average accessory price points increased by **3%**, and average footwear price points rose by approximately **4.5%** [3] Customer Metrics - Units per transaction (UPT) decreased by approximately **1.5%**, while the average transaction value increased by **2.5%** compared to the prior year [4] Store Operations - Buckle operates **441 retail stores** across **42 states**, maintaining the same store count as of September 4, 2024 [4] Forward-Looking Statements - The company does not provide guidance on current sales or project results for the next quarter, citing material risks and uncertainties that could affect future performance [4][5] Additional Information - The commentary included a disclaimer regarding forward-looking statements and encouraged further inquiries to specific company contacts [5]