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On July 20th, the Ministry of Commerce held a national teleconference on July 17th to advance the mid-year work of the consumer goods trade-in program. The meeting summarized the progress and achievements of the policy implementation in the first half of the year and deployed key tasks for the next stage. The meeting emphasized that all regions and relevant departments should further enhance their political awareness, establish and practice a correct view of performance, and implement the consumer goods trade-in policy meticulously and effectively with a persistent and dedicated approach. They should further intensify their efforts, strengthen inter-departmental coordination, widely publicize the policy, and expand its coverage. They should also continuously enrich offline consumption scenarios, optimize the subsidy review and disbursement process, facilitate public participation in and enjoyment of the policy, and enhance the publics sense of gain.Citigroup lowered its price target for IBM (IBM.N) from $375 to $255.Citigroup raised its price target for JPMorgan Chase (JPM.N) from $325 to $360.Preliminary plans indicate that Angola will load 34 tankers of crude oil in September, compared to 35 tankers planned for August.On July 20th, Citigroup strategists stated that the widely discussed "Big Seven" tech concept is "no longer applicable" in assessing investment opportunities in the US AI sector. The strategy team, led by Scott Chronert, suggested that investors should turn their attention to a broader range of stocks that have consistently been major drivers of earnings growth and share price increases for the S&P 500. They recommended focusing on the so-called "growth cluster," a group that includes not only large-cap tech stocks but also most companies benefiting from AI infrastructure development. Chronert stated that this group accounts for more than half of the S&P 500s total market capitalization and contributes nearly 48% of earnings. After driving the S&P 500 to record highs in recent years, the "Big Seven" tech index is projected to underperform the market by 2026 as investors favor sectors expected to benefit from massive AI capital expenditures.

Costco Margins Are Impacted by Growing Freight And Labor Expenses, And The Stock Price Falls

Charlie Brooks

May 27, 2022 09:50

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Costco Wholesale Corp (NASDAQ:COST) announced a decline in gross margins on Thursday, impacted by rising freight and labor expenses across the United States. The news sent shares of the membership-only retailer down 2% and overshadowed an otherwise positive quarterly report.


Fresh COVID-19 lockdowns in China and the Russia-Ukraine conflict have compounded the problem for U.S. businesses.


Costco announced that it would increase prices in certain food categories in order to battle inflation.


Retailers such as Walmart (NYSE:WMT) Inc and Target Corp (NYSE:TGT) have warned that decades-high inflation will have a negative impact on their earnings, as shoppers hesitate from purchasing non-essential and high-margin goods.


The average Costco buyer earns more than the average Walmart and Target shopper, allowing Costco to generate quarterly earnings and revenue that easily exceeds expectations.


Memberships and sales have been boosted by the company's efforts to keep gas prices several cents below the national average.


Costco, in contrast to Walmart, reported that there has not been a significant shift from branded products to its private label product, Kirkland Signature.


"We aren't really observing a decline in commerce. This year, more money is being spent on tickets, dining out, travel, tires, and gasoline "In a post-earnings conference call, Robert Nelson, senior vice president of finance and investor relations, said.


Costco's gross margins decreased by 99 basis points in the third quarter.


According to data from Refinitiv IBES, Costco's total sales for the quarter ending May 8 increased by 16 percent to $52.60 billion, surpassing analysts' projections of $51.71 billion.


Excluding adjustments, Costco's earnings per share were $3.17, exceeding analysts' expectations of $3.03.