Costco’s May sales rise 8.1%, analysts maintain buy rating

Investing.com – Costco Wholesale Corp (NASDAQ:) reported an increase of 6.5% in same store sales (excluding gas and foreign exchange impacts) for May. This figure exceeded the consensus estimate of 6.0% and showed acceleration from the 5.5% growth reported in April.

A significant rise in net sales was also reported, reaching $19.64 billion, an 8.1% increase compared to the $18.16 billion reported in the same period last year.

Analysts from Goldman Sachs (NYSE:) have maintained their ‘Buy’ rating, setting a 12-month price target of $851.

Stifel analysts also set a price target of $850, attributing this premium valuation to Costco’s annuity-like membership income and above-peer comparable growth.

However, they also note potential risks, including competition from Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:) and other e-commerce retailers, slowing macroeconomic trends, rising competition in the warehouse club space, lower renewal rates and foreign exchange pressures.