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Costco (COST) Q1 Earnings: Taking a Look at Key Metrics Versus Estimates

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Costco (COST - Free Report) reported $62.15 billion in revenue for the quarter ended November 2024, representing a year-over-year increase of 7.5%. EPS of $3.82 for the same period compares to $3.48 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +0.17% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $62.05 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $3.79, the EPS surprise was +0.79%.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how Costco performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

  • Comparable sales - Total Company: 5.2% compared to the 5.5% average estimate based on nine analysts.
  • Changes in comparable sales excluding the impact of changes in foreign-currency and gasoline prices - Total Company: 7.1% versus the eight-analyst average estimate of 6.3%.
  • Number of warehouses - Total worldwide: 897 versus the seven-analyst average estimate of 896.
  • Comparable sales - U.S. 5.2% versus 5.8% estimated by five analysts on average.
  • Changes in comparable sales excluding the impact of changes in foreign-currency and gasoline prices - U.S. 7.2% versus 6.6% estimated by five analysts on average.
  • Changes in comparable sales excluding the impact of changes in foreign-currency and gasoline prices - Canada: 6.7% versus 6.2% estimated by five analysts on average.
  • Changes in comparable sales excluding the impact of changes in foreign-currency and gasoline prices - Other International: 7.1% versus 6.6% estimated by five analysts on average.
  • Comparable sales - Canada: 5.8% versus 6.2% estimated by four analysts on average.
  • Number of warehouses - United States and Puerto Rico: 617 compared to the 618 average estimate based on four analysts.
  • Comparable sales - Other International: 4.7% compared to the 5.7% average estimate based on four analysts.
  • Revenue- Membership fees: $1.17 billion versus $1.17 billion estimated by 10 analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +7.8% change.
  • Revenue- Net Sales: $60.99 billion versus the 10-analyst average estimate of $61.01 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +7.5%.
View all Key Company Metrics for Costco here>>>

Shares of Costco have returned +6.5% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.5% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

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