Buy Costco shares through macro-induced weakness, says BMO Capital

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BMO Capital analysts told investors in a note Thursday that the firm continues to recommend buying Costco (NASDAQ:COST) shares through any macro-induced weakness.

The firm hosted a group investor meeting at Costco’s headquarters with CFO Richard Galanti, VP of IR David Sherwood, and AVP of IR Josh Dahmen. Analysts stated they came away from the meeting with an unchanged view that there are “no bad times to buy COST shares, only better.”

BMO currently rates COST shares at Outperform with a $555 price target. Costco’s stock price is up around 0.5% premarket at just above $493 per share.

The analysts explained that internationally, Costco has potentially even more whitespace compared to the U.S., as the big box retailer has a “significant opportunity to continue filling in current international countries and enter new locations.”

“We believe that COST’s advantaged business model (low GM%, advantaged online structure, membership fee income stream — renewal rates again reaching all-time highs of 92.6% in US/Canada and 90.5% global), consistent execution, increasing connection with its loyal membership base, and potential catalysts (membership fee raise and special dividend on the horizon, but timing still TBD in our view) make it deserving of its premium valuation, a rarity among retail/consumer staples,” wrote analysts.