Fast facts:  SNAP recipients can purchase approved grocery items at Costco with an EBT card. Any non-grocery items must be purchased in a separate transaction using a traditional payment method accepted by Costco. Costco memberships cannot be purchased with an EBT card. Costco’s members-only, buy-in-bulk retail warehouses are a great way for working families to stock up on food and other essentials, with most members’ savings vastly outweighing the $65 cost of an annual membership. But can folks wi ...

Yes, these are three elite businesses with powerful fundamentals. But tread carefully, as their valuations look stretched.Membership-club leader Costco Wholesale (COST 0.85%), AI (artificial intelligence)-chip titan Nvidia (NVDA -0.17%), and electric-vehicle specialist Tesla (TSLA 1.39%) are among the market's most admired companies. Their execution has been impressive in 2025, helping their stocks earn their high valuations. The question for investors is not whether these are great businesses. It is whethe ...

Top 5 Initiations: BTIG initiated coverage of Walmart (WMT) with a Buy rating and $120 price target. Walmart's integrated digital and physical strategy is "delivering value" to customers and shareholders and CEO Doug McMillon has the company positioned for continued market share and profit gains despite macro pressures, the firm tells investors. BTIG initiated coverage of Target (TGT) with a Neutral rating and no price target. Target's brand is "relevant and differentiated," but it faces intense competi ...

Key Points Dividend growth tends to mirror earnings growth better than static ratios. Rising payouts usually signal durable cash flow, pricing power, and disciplined capital allocation, effectively functioning as an underappreciated valuation cue. These three dividend payers are proven businesses with a long record of rewarding shareholders. 10 stocks we like better than Costco Wholesale › Dividend growth is a reliable edge. Over long periods, companies that regularly raise their dividends have of ...

Two leading U.S.-based retailers witnessed big spikes in their Growth metrics in Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings over the past week alone, hinting at a renewed momentum and a major turnaround. Retail Stocks Witness Spike In Growth MetricsThe Growth score in Benzinga’s Edge Rankings is assessed based on the pace at which revenue and earnings have grown historically, with equal focus on both short and long-term trends. See Also: As Trump Rolls Back Clean Energy Incentives, These 2 Solar Stocks Are Seeing A Sha ...

Investors are advised not to fight the trend. Right now, the trend for stocks remains bullish. That's kept technology stocks, particularly AI stocks, moving higher. But the stock market isn’t the economy, and there are worrisome signs that the economy is slowing down. That slowdown isn’t showing up in gross domestic product (GDP), but productivity may be coming at a cost to the labor force. At least, that's what the latest jobs data and consumer sentiment show.Get Clorox alerts:Plus, the government shutdown ...

Key Points Costco has 81 million paid memberships. Membership helps power Costco's low-cost strategy. With only 914 stores worldwide, Costco’s subscription-like growth story is far from mature. 10 stocks we like better than Costco Wholesale › When most people think about Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST), they picture oversized shopping carts, pallets of bulk goods, and weekend crowds hunting for bargains. It's an easy image to latch onto: Costco is a big-box retailer, through and through. However ...

Key Takeaways Costco's U.S. comparable sales rose 5.1% in September, reflecting solid traffic and ticket growth.New shopping hours boosted weekly U.S. sales by about 1% since their late-June rollout.Costco enters the holiday season strong as members seek quality, value and convenience.Costco Wholesale Corporation’s (COST) U.S. comparable sales rose 5.1% in September, indicating consumer strength and a preference for value heading into the holiday season. The performance suggested solid traffic growth and a ...

Group 1: AI Stocks and Market Sentiment - Investors are cautious about AI stocks due to concerns over a potential bubble and market correction, particularly following major AI deals by companies like Nvidia and OpenAI [2] - Michael Wolf, co-founder and CEO of Activate, emphasized that the AI industry's deals are driven by real demand rather than "vendor financing," indicating significant investments in infrastructure by various companies [2] Group 2: Meritage Homes Corp (NYSE:MTH) - Meritage Homes Corp is favored by hedge funds, with 43 investors backing it, and is considered a top pick in the homebuilder sector by UBS analyst John Lovallo [4] - Lovallo predicts a positive outlook for the housing industry in 2026, contingent on decreasing interest rates, which could stabilize the market and enhance profitability for builders [5] - ClearBridge Small Cap Strategy highlighted a systematic housing shortage in the U.S. and believes that declining interest rates will benefit homebuilders like Meritage [7] Group 3: Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX) - Phillips 66 has 47 hedge fund investors and is seen as having breakout potential, with insider buying and activist hedge fund involvement noted as positive indicators [8] - Analysts believe that Phillips 66 has transformed into a more diversified energy business, reducing its cyclicality and enhancing free cash flow generation [9] Group 4: Credo Technology Group Holding Ltd (NASDAQ:CRDO) - Credo Technology has 48 hedge fund investors and is viewed positively for its role in the AI data center market, with significant revenue growth reported [10][11] - The company expects to continue benefiting from AI data center buildouts by major clients like Amazon and Microsoft, projecting revenue growth exceeding 200% in the current quarter [11] Group 5: KB Home (NYSE:KBH) - KB Home is backed by 51 hedge fund investors and reported strong quarterly performance, beating all key performance indicators [12][13] - Analysts believe that stabilization in the housing market, particularly in key regions like Florida and Texas, signals a potential bottom for the sector [13] Group 6: Costco Wholesale Corp (NASDAQ:COST) - Costco has 91 hedge fund investors, but analysts express concerns about its specific challenges despite reporting good same-store sales growth [14][15] - Elevated operating expenses and a deceleration in sales growth are highlighted as issues that may impact Costco's profitability moving forward [15][16] Group 7: Alibaba Group (NYSE:BABA) - Alibaba is supported by 101 hedge fund investors, with analysts predicting the stock could double in the next 18 months due to improving performance in the Chinese tech sector [17][18] - Despite a recent decline, Alibaba's strong full-year results and share buybacks are viewed positively, with the company seen as a cost-effective way to benefit from AI and cloud growth [19]

Apparel Business Growth - Costco's apparel business has grown significantly, becoming a nearly $10 billion industry [1] - Over the past five years, Costco's apparel sales have increased by nearly 40%, surpassing competitors like BJ's (28%) and Sam's Club (21%) [3] - Men's apparel sales reported double-digit growth in the latest fiscal quarter [5] Business Strategy - Costco's success relies on a mix of its private label, Kirkland Signature, and popular brand-name products [4] - Costco often partners with brands to create lines specifically for its stores, sometimes offering slightly different versions than mainstream stores [5] - Licensing is another way for big brands to get onto Costco's shelves [6] - Costco maintains a low initial markup of around 14% on most items to keep prices competitive [17][19] Market Position and Competition - Costco's apparel segment is larger than Gap, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Old Navy [4] - Competitors are taking Costco more seriously in the apparel market, as evidenced by lawsuits like the one from Lululemon [15] Financial Performance and Stock - Over the past five years, Costco's shares are up around 150% [24] - Costco's gross margin hovers around 10%, lower than Target and Walmart, due to its low markup strategy [17]