- Costco’s latest earnings missed expectations
- The company’s membership system, its moat, remains strong, growing by 6.1%
- Despite a disappointing outlook, Costco’s financial health is strong according to InvestingPro data
Amid stubborn inflation, retail giant Costco’s (NASDAQ:) latest earnings showed a fall in revenue since consumers cut back on non-essential spending.
Recent trends indicate consumers are prioritizing financing their essential needs, leaving high-margin items like furniture, toys, and electronics from the retail giant unsold. Therefore, the company issued a disappointing outlook, similar to other peers in the retail industry.
So what does the future hold for this Washington-based retailer?
Let’s go deep into the company’s earnings using InvestingPro tools and try to find out.
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Costco’s Earnings
Compared to $51.51 billion in the same period last year, the company’s revenue increased by 1.9% to $52.5 billion. Nonetheless, it fell short of InvestingPro‘s estimate of $54.5 billion.
The recently disclosed quarterly report exposed net income of $1.3 billion and earnings per share of $2.93. A year ago, earnings per share were $3.04, and net income was $1.35 billion.
However, earnings per share fell short of the InvestingPro estimate of $3.33.
Source: InvestingPro
According to InvestingPro, nine of its analysts lowered their HBK estimates, while five raised them. The analysts predict a rise in earnings per share during the first half of the year due to seasonal factors, but anticipate a decline towards the end of the year.

Source: InvestingPro
Based on uncertain market conditions and high inflation, the Issaquah-based retailer’s quarterly results fell below expectations. Nevertheless, the company’s membership system remains a competitive advantage in its industry. The latest data reveals Costco’s membership revenues grew by 6.1% to reach $1.04 billion.
Consumers seem to prioritize their basic necessities despite the availability of high-margin products like furniture, jewelry, and electronics at Costco, as evidenced by their spending habits. As a result, companies such as Target Corporation (NYSE:) and Home Depot (NYSE:) had to adjust their 2023 forecasts in response.

Source: InvestingPro
Per InvestingPro, Costco’s financial health is robust. The company’s growth and profitability contribute significantly to its financial health assessment. Additionally, Costco’s cash flow ratios