What to watch when Club holding Costco reports quarterly results Thursday

Published Wed, Dec 7 202210:33 AM ESTUpdated Wed, Dec 7 202210:42 AM EST

Club holding Costco Wholesale (COST) is set to report its fiscal first-quarter results on Thursday after the closing bell, and we'll be looking to see the impact on profitability at the retailer as shoppers pull back on spending this holiday season. Costco, which operates more than 830 club warehouses worldwide, is known for offering low prices on a wide array of items including, groceries, apparel, jewelry and gasoline, allowing consumers to buy in bulk at a discount. The membership-only retailer has posted durable sales growth over the past year, but as of late Costco's same-store sales, which are reported monthly, have shown softer growth due to a slower global economy and weaker consumer demand. At the same time, Wall Street sees a long-term growth trajectory for Costco despite near-term macroeconomic uncertainty. Bernstein in a note Tuesday said the retailer has delivered "routinely solid business results." UBS called Costco's business model "highly relevant." Analysts expect 2023 fiscal first-quarter earnings-per-share to come in at $3.11 a share, up 4.4% from the same period last year, while total revenue should climb 8.5% year-over-year, to $54.64 billion, according to estimates from Refinitiv. Here are some of the key factors the Club is looking for ahead of the earnings print on Thursday. Gross margin Costco shareholders will be looking for an improvement to its gross profit margin, or the percentage of revenue that's left over after subtracting the costs of producing its goods. Costco's gross margin has been lower over the past several quarters due to inflationary pressures like higher freight and labor costs, as well as supply chain disruptions. Some of these pressures have been easing but Costco's gross margin likely contracted in its fiscal first, according to UBS, with greater gasoline sales at lower prices being the "biggest drag." Earlier this year, Costco benefitted from higher gas prices, as customers flocked to the retailer to buy gas in bulk. While that can boost the retailer's top-line sales growth, gasoline can also weigh on profitability because it's a low-margin product that ge