Let's bring in Kevin Green, senior markets correspondent, right away to help set up the action today. All right, KG, you called this one yesterday. You said when we saw some red uh I'm wearing red today.Hopefully that does not send that signal to the markets. Um but you called it. You said don't be surprised if we turn green and we did halfway through the day on the S&P 500.What was it about the construction of yesterday that made you say that. >> Well, it was the futures market. uh we obviously saw a drop ...

Costco Wholesale Corporation ( COST ) released its fiscal Q1 earnings results yesterday, and this marks the first time I am officially covering this company. I have to start by saying that Costco is trulyI write about stocks I’m personally interested in adding to my portfolio. I’m not a professional advisor, but I study business and economics and analyze markets full-time. My writing is meant for both complete beginners — I avoid unnecessary complexity — and advanced readers, as I always aim to offer a dist ...

Core Insights - Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) has released its fiscal Q1 earnings results, marking the first coverage of the company by the analyst [1]. Group 1: Earnings Results - The earnings report provides insights into Costco's financial performance, which is of interest to potential investors [1]. Group 2: Analyst Perspective - The analysis aims to cater to both beginners and advanced readers, focusing on providing a well-reasoned perspective on Costco [1].

Key Takeaways COST posted Q1 EPS of $4.34, beating estimates and rising from $3.82 a year ago.Q1 revenues rose 8.3% to $67.31B, driven by traffic gains and 20.5% e-commerce sales growth.Membership fees climbed 14% as COST hit 81.4M paid households and 92.2% U.S. renewal rate.Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) reported first-quarter fiscal 2026 results, wherein the top line fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate, while the bottom line beat the same. Nonetheless, both revenues and earnings improved year ...

Core Viewpoint - Costco reported strong growth in digital engagement, with website traffic increasing by 24% and app traffic by over 40%, indicating a positive trend in digital interactions and long-term online sales growth [1][10]. Digital Engagement - The company is satisfied with the growth momentum in digital interactions and expects online sales to continue growing faster than overall average sales as more members engage digitally [1][10]. - Costco is building a data and technology platform for large-scale personalization in retail media, aiming to enhance member experience and engagement [1][7]. Membership Growth - Total membership increased by over 5% year-on-year, with a focus on attracting younger members and upgrading executive memberships [2][17]. - The company plans to open 20-30 new stores annually, which is expected to drive membership growth, particularly in international markets [2][17]. Store Expansion - Costco opened 7 new stores in the quarter, bringing the total to 923 globally, with plans to continue expanding at a rate of over 30 new stores per year [1][8]. - The company sees significant expansion opportunities in both domestic and international markets, with a balanced approach to growth [1][8]. Inflation and Pricing - The company reported slight inflation in food and grocery items, at low to mid-single digits, with overall inflation levels remaining stable compared to previous quarters [1][15]. - Costco's strategy focuses on providing high value to members, with most profits reinvested to lower prices and enhance member value [1][4]. Operational Efficiency - The company is leveraging technology to improve productivity and efficiency, with a focus on enhancing member experience through digital innovations [3][7]. - Costco's operational strategies include extending store hours, which positively impacted sales and member experience [5][20]. Future Outlook - Costco anticipates continued growth in membership and sales, driven by new store openings and enhanced member engagement strategies [2][17]. - The company is optimistic about its long-term expansion plans, with a balanced focus on both domestic and international markets [8][18].

Market Overview - US stock index futures showed mixed performance with Dow futures up by 0.14%, S&P 500 futures down by 0.18%, and Nasdaq futures down by 0.61% [1] - European indices also experienced gains, with Germany's DAX up by 0.25%, UK's FTSE 100 up by 0.25%, France's CAC40 up by 0.58%, and the Euro Stoxx 50 up by 0.35% [2][3] - WTI crude oil prices fell by 0.24% to $57.46 per barrel, while Brent crude oil prices decreased by 0.29% to $61.10 per barrel [3][4] AI Regulation and Economic Policy - President Trump signed an executive order aimed at limiting state-level regulations on artificial intelligence (AI), promoting a federal framework to maintain US leadership in the AI sector [5] - The executive order directs the establishment of an "AI litigation task force" to challenge state laws that conflict with the administration's vision for light regulation [5] Federal Reserve Insights - Internal dissent within the Federal Reserve regarding interest rate cuts has become pronounced, with Chairman Powell downplaying opposition to a recent 25 basis point cut [6][7] - Concerns about employment data being systematically overestimated may lead to continued dovish monetary policy into 2026, as the Fed prioritizes labor market stability [7] Corporate Earnings and Market Reactions - Broadcom (AVGO) reported Q4 sales of $18 billion, a 28% year-over-year increase, but saw its stock drop in after-hours trading due to slightly disappointing AI order backlog [10] - Costco (COST) exceeded Q1 revenue expectations with $67.31 billion, a 6.4% increase, but faced concerns over slowing membership renewal rates and high valuations [11] - Coinbase (COIN) plans to launch tokenized stocks and prediction markets, indicating a move into trending financial products [12] - Netflix (NFLX) experienced a significant market cap drop of $40 billion, prompting a buying surge among retail investors [12] - Apple (AAPL) faced a setback in its legal battle with Epic Games, but gained a chance to defend its commission structure on developer transactions [13] Technological Partnerships - CoreWeave announced a partnership with Runway to enhance its video AI engine using NVIDIA's GB300 chip, indicating a focus on advanced AI capabilities [14] Upcoming Economic Events - Key economic data releases and speeches from Federal Reserve officials are scheduled, which may influence market sentiment and monetary policy outlook [15][16]

Group 1: Company Developments - Mingming Hen Mang has received approval for its overseas listing, planning to issue up to 76.67 million shares on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, with 25 shareholders converting approximately 198 million shares for circulation [1] - Costco reported a revenue of $67.31 billion for Q1 of fiscal year 2026, a year-on-year increase of 6.4%, exceeding market expectations [3] - Haidilao is testing its new "Dapaidang" hotpot concept in Guangzhou, with plans to expand to other cities like Qingdao and Shanghai [4] - Zhou Hei Ya has opened its first overseas store in Malaysia, marking a significant step in its global strategy [8] - Mixue Ice Cream has launched its first flagship store in Guangzhou, integrating local cultural elements [10] - Nova Coffee has surpassed 10,000 global stores, expanding rapidly in domestic and overseas markets [10] - Xicha plans to reduce its store count by 680 by 2025, shifting its strategy to exit the competitive "scale involution" in the new tea beverage market [10] - JD.com and Guangdong Province have established the first "Modern Rider Academy" to enhance the skills of delivery personnel [11] - JD.com will invest 22 billion yuan over the next five years to provide 150,000 "Rider Homes" for delivery staff [14] - JD Logistics has launched an "Extreme Cold Protection" service in Heilongjiang to ensure the quality of perishable goods [16] - Yantian Puzhi has announced its "Big Demon Strategy" focusing on health-oriented snack products [18] - Sam's Club is set to open its first store in Jinan by the end of 2026, with construction progressing [19] - Kidswant has submitted its application to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange for listing [20] Group 2: Industry Trends - The Ministry of Commerce is planning to enhance innovation and transformation in the retail sector during the 14th Five-Year Plan, focusing on improving product and service quality [7] - A report indicates that young consumers prefer personalized dining experiences, with a shift towards single-serving meals reflecting individual tastes [18]

Group 1 - President Trump is seeking to block state laws on AI and is advocating for a national regulatory framework [1] - The Federal Reserve has reappointed 11 of the 12 regional presidents for new 5-year terms, with Atlanta Fed President Rafael Bastik announcing retirement [1][2] - Costco's earnings and revenue exceeded estimates, with US comparable sales increasing by 5.9% and digital sales rising over 20% year-over-year [2] Group 2 - NASCAR has settled an antitrust lawsuit, granting permanent charters to all teams involved, although the terms of the settlement were not disclosed [3] - Elon Musk confirmed that SpaceX is planning to go public in 2026, responding to reports of an $800 billion valuation, which he stated was inaccurate [4] - Speculation around SpaceX's IPO suggests potential valuations could reach as high as $1.5 trillion, with Musk owning over 40% of the company [5]

Core Viewpoint - Several stock splits may occur in 2026, which could create investment opportunities as companies often see a rise in share prices following a split announcement [1][2]. Group 1: Microsoft - Microsoft has the lowest stock price on the list at just under $500 per share and has not split its stock since 2003, making a split overdue [4]. - The company's stock price has risen due to its significant role in the artificial intelligence sector and its investment in OpenAI, which could further boost its stock if OpenAI goes public [5]. Group 2: MercadoLibre - MercadoLibre has the highest stock price on the list at about $2,000 per share and has never split its stock, raising skepticism about a potential split [7]. - The company has built a robust e-commerce network in Latin America and a payments infrastructure, showing strong growth potential despite a sluggish 2025 [8]. Group 3: Goldman Sachs - Goldman Sachs has a stock price around $850 and is a significant component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, accounting for about 11% of its total weighting [9]. - The company may face a decision on whether to split its stock to maintain its position in the index or to reduce its weight within it [11][12]. Group 4: Caterpillar - Caterpillar has a stock price of about $600 and is the second-largest component of the Dow Jones index, making up nearly 8% of its total weighting [13]. - Similar to Goldman Sachs, Caterpillar may need to consider a stock split to manage its significant influence on the index [13]. Group 5: Costco - Costco's stock is valued at about $900 per share, and it has not split its stock in 25 years, indicating it is overdue for a split [14]. - Although not a member of the Dow Jones index, a stock split could enhance its chances of inclusion, making it a strong candidate for a split in 2026 [16].

Costco第一财季营收增长8.2%至673.1亿美元，EPS为4.50美元，双双超出华尔街预期。净利润从去年同期的18亿美元增至20亿美元，增幅11.1%。电 商转型效果喜人，网站流量增24%，App流量激增48%。公司绩后股价小幅下跌0.68%。 得益于其线上销售的增长和新店的开设，美国中产的最爱的仓储式超市好市多（Costco）第一财季业绩超出华尔街预期。 周四美股盘后， Costco第一财季报告表现强劲，与去年同期相比，营收增长了8.2%。电商转型效果喜人，电商销售额暴增20.5%。 ：第一财季营收673.1亿美元，同比增长8.2%，每股收益4.50美元，均超华尔街预期；净利润20亿美元，同比增长11%。 电商转型提速 ：电商销售暴增20.5%，网站流量增24%，App流量激增48%；黑色星期五单日非食品订单突破2.5亿美元创纪录。 会员体系扩张 ：付费会员达8140万，同比增5.2%，会员费上调政策从9月生效开始贡献利润；美国和加拿大的续费率92.2%。 门店扩张计划 ：一季度新开8家仓储店，全球总数达921家；未来每年计划开设30家以上新店。 此外季度利润增长超过预期，这表明对价格敏感的美国消费者 ...