Vol: 67,040-$9.684.09%$226.78[CoStar Group][CSGP]• Vol: 316,562-$2.074.07%$48.78[Martin Marietta Materials][MLM]• Vol: 164,052-$26.243.71%$681.87 (NASDAQ:GOOGL | GOOGL Price Prediction) has been the best of the Magnificent Seven for a reason. Whether we're talking…]## Prediction: Costco Has What it Takes to Surge and Split in 2026[Joey Frenette | Dec 30, 2025 at 11:32 AM EST What a forgettable year it's been for shareholders of Costco (NASDAQ:COST), which is actually attempting to stage a comeback after…]## ...

Core Viewpoint - The court ruled that Costco's unilateral cancellation of a customer's membership constituted a breach of contract, leading to an appeal by Costco to overturn the decision [2][3][8]. Group 1: Legal Proceedings - A customer, Mr. Li, had his membership canceled by Costco after multiple complaints, which the court found to be a breach of contract [2][8]. - The first-instance court ordered Costco to continue fulfilling the contract and extend Mr. Li's membership by 96 days [3][8]. - Costco filed an appeal, arguing that its membership terms are legally binding and that the court misapplied the law regarding the cancellation of Mr. Li's membership [3][5]. Group 2: Membership Terms and Conditions - Costco claims that its membership terms allow for the cancellation of membership under certain conditions, including behavior deemed inappropriate [5][6]. - The specific clause cited by Costco states that it can cancel membership without refunding the annual fee if inappropriate behavior is detected [5][6]. - The court found that the clause granting Costco unilateral cancellation rights was a standard form contract that did not adequately inform Mr. Li of the implications, thus ruling it unenforceable [8]. Group 3: Company Background and Financials - Costco operates a membership-based warehouse model and entered the Chinese market in August 2019, currently having seven stores in various cities [5]. - The membership fee is set at 299 yuan per year, and as of the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, Costco reported revenues of $67.307 billion, a year-on-year increase of 8.3%, and a net profit of $2.001 billion, up 11.3% [5]. - As of November 23, 2025, Costco had 81.4 million paying members, reflecting a 5.2% increase [5].

因一名消费者多次购物后举报、投诉门店，开市客单方面取消其会员，这个行为被法院认定为"违约"。 近日，南京的消费者李先生向南都鉴定·消费曝光台反映，其起诉开市客（南京）商业有限公司（下称"开市客南京公司"）、开市客（中国）投资有限公司 （下称"开市客中国公司"）一案已经南京市江宁区人民法院一审结束，法院判决开市客南京公司于判决发生法律效力之日起十日内继续履行合同，补足李先 生的会员使用期限96天。 1月29日，开市客方面曾就此事回应南都湾财社记者称，案件仍在法律程序中。按照一审判决书，上诉期在判决书送达十五日内。李先生于1月23日收到判决 书，以此计算，目前其已经过了上诉期，但是尚不清楚开市客方面收到判决书时间。2月10日，李先生告诉南都湾财社记者，开市客方面尚未帮其恢复会 员，也尚不清楚其是否上诉。同一时间，记者再次就此事联系开市客相关负责人，未能获得回应。 因一名消费者多次购物后投诉索赔 开市客单方面取消其会员 根据李先生提供的一审判决书，2024年5月10日，李先生以优惠价199元购买了开市客南京公司的会员卡，有效期为2024年5月28至2025年5月27日。2025年2 月20日，开市客南京公司未与李先 ...

Core Viewpoint - Costco Wholesale is committed to rewarding shareholders through significant dividend increases and share buybacks, indicating a strong financial position and shareholder-friendly policies [1][2]. Shareholder Rewards - Since 2004, Costco has raised its dividend by 1,200%, significantly surpassing the 75% inflation rate during the same period [1]. - The company has spent $12.5 billion on share buybacks since 2000, with $903 million allocated in the last fiscal year, which enhances earnings per share by reducing the share count [1]. Special Dividends - Costco has a history of paying special dividends, with five such payouts since 2013, which are characterized by their unpredictability and substantial amounts [2][3]. - The most recent special dividend in January 2024 was $15 per share, which was 1,370% larger than the regular dividend, providing a one-time yield of 2.4% for shareholders who purchased shares before the announcement [3]. - Previous special dividends have also been significantly larger than regular dividends, with increases of 1,328% in 2020, 1,300% in 2017, and 1,308% in 2015 [4]. Market Reaction - Following the announcement of the 2023 special dividend, Costco shares rallied by 8% in the five trading sessions, reflecting investor enthusiasm for the payout [6]. - Special dividends are typically announced during periods of strong financial performance, as seen with net sales growth of 17% year over year before the 2020 special dividend and 15.2% year over year before the 2023 special dividend [7].

Core Viewpoint - Costco Wholesale's stock has seen a significant increase of 16% at the start of 2026, approaching its all-time high of $1,078, with investor sentiment rising ahead of its upcoming earnings report on March 5 [1][2]. Financial Performance - In the last reported earnings on December 11, 2025, Costco's revenue increased by approximately 8.3%, with a comparable growth rate of 6.4%, indicating solid business performance [4]. - For December, a crucial holiday month, Costco's comparable sales growth rate was 7% across all regions, suggesting a strong quarter is likely in March [7]. Stock Valuation - Costco's stock is currently trading at a high price-to-earnings multiple of 54, significantly above the S&P 500 average of 25, indicating it is overvalued [10]. - Despite beating expectations in its last quarterly report, the stock did not see a corresponding increase and instead fell in the subsequent weeks [9]. Market Data - As of the latest data, Costco's current stock price is $998.31, with a market capitalization of $444 billion [8]. - The stock has a gross margin of 12.88% and a dividend yield of 0.64% [9].

Core Insights - Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) started calendar year 2026 with strong comparable sales growth, indicating its attractiveness to value-conscious consumers [1] Sales Performance - For the four weeks ending Feb. 1, 2026, Costco reported a 7.1% year-over-year increase in total comparable sales, with U.S. sales up 5.8%, Canada up 11.4%, and Other International markets up 9.5% [2] - Adjusted U.S. comparable sales increased 6.8%, while Canada and Other International markets saw gains of 8.2% and 2.7%, respectively, leading to an overall growth of 6.4% in January [3] - Digitally enabled comparable sales surged 34.4% in January, reflecting strong online performance, with net sales for January rising 9.3% to $21.33 billion from $19.51 billion last year [4][8] Competitive Landscape - Costco's shares have declined 5.8% over the past year, contrasting with the industry's growth of 6.9%, while Dollar General shares increased by 97.8% and Target shares decreased by 12% [5] Valuation Metrics - Costco's forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio is 47.67, higher than the industry average of 33.35, indicating a premium valuation compared to Target and Dollar General [6][9] Financial Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Costco's current financial-year sales and earnings per share suggests year-over-year growth of 7.9% and 12.2%, respectively, with a projected 7.1% rise in sales and 9.3% growth in earnings for the next fiscal year [10] - Current quarter sales estimates stand at $69.18 billion, with a year-over-year growth estimate of 8.57% [11] - Current quarter earnings per share estimates are at $4.53, reflecting a year-over-year growth estimate of 12.69% [12]

Core Viewpoint - Costco Wholesale Corporation has shown mixed performance in the market, with a notable decline over the past year but a strong year-to-date performance, indicating potential resilience and growth opportunities in the retail sector. Financial Performance - For Q1, Costco reported total revenue of $67.3 billion, reflecting an 8.3% year-over-year increase, driven by new warehouse openings, higher membership fees, productivity improvements, and increased digital tool usage [4] - The net income per share for the quarter was $4.50, marking an 11.4% increase from the same quarter last year [4] Market Performance - Over the past 52 weeks, Costco's shares have declined by 4.7%, while the S&P 500 Index has increased by 14% [2] - Year-to-date, Costco's stock has risen by 16.1%, outperforming the S&P 500's 1.3% increase [2] Analyst Ratings and Expectations - For fiscal 2026, analysts project Costco's EPS to grow by 12.2% year-over-year to $20.18 [5] - The consensus rating among 35 analysts is a "Moderate Buy," with 19 "Strong Buy," 4 "Moderate Buy," 11 "Hold," and 1 "Strong Sell" rating [5] - D.A. Davidson analyst Michael Baker has maintained a "Hold" rating with a price target of $1,000, while the mean price target of $1,058.32 suggests a 5.7% premium from current levels [8]

Core Viewpoint - Costco's stock has risen 15% since the beginning of the year despite a decline over the last 12 months, indicating a potential recovery in investor sentiment [1][2]. Group 1: Stock Performance - Costco's stock price increased by 1.16% today, reaching $1,000.76, with a market capitalization of $444 billion [5][6]. - The stock has a 52-week range of $844.06 to $1,078.23, reflecting significant volatility [6]. Group 2: Financial Performance - In the first quarter of fiscal 2026, Costco's revenue rose by 6%, and net income surged by 11% to $2.0 billion, closely aligning with fiscal 2025 results where revenue increased by 8% and profit was $8.1 billion, 10% higher than the previous year [6]. - Costco maintains a gross margin of 12.88% and a dividend yield of 0.64% [6]. Group 3: Competitive Position - Costco enjoys a high membership renewal rate of around 92%, indicating strong customer loyalty [4]. - The company has successfully expanded internationally, particularly in Europe and Asia, where competitors like Walmart have struggled [7]. Group 4: Valuation Concerns - Costco's current P/E ratio stands at 52, significantly higher than that of Walmart, Target, and Amazon, raising concerns about its valuation relative to profit growth [8]. - Berkshire Hathaway closed its Costco position in 2020 due to valuation concerns, although Warren Buffett later acknowledged it might have been a mistake [10]. Group 5: Investment Outlook - While Costco is considered a high-quality company with a strong growth trajectory, the current stock price may not justify additional investments until its earnings multiple aligns more closely with peers [12].

Core Insights - Younger consumers are more accustomed to the subscription economy, often switching services after consuming desired content [1] Membership and Renewal Rates - Costco has annual memberships priced at $65 for Gold members and $130 for Executive members, which includes 2% cash back up to $1,250, helping to mitigate quick churn [2] - The company has experienced a decline in renewal rates, with U.S. and Canada rates at 92.2% and worldwide at 89.7%, both down 10 basis points from the previous quarter [4] - The decline in renewal rates is attributed to a changing membership mix, particularly an increase in digital sign-ups, which have lower renewal rates compared to traditional warehouse sign-ups [3][4] Membership Growth - Costco reported membership fee income of $1.329 billion, a year-over-year increase of $163 million or 14%, with the U.S. and Canada membership fee increase contributing to nearly half of this growth [6] - Excluding the membership fee increase and foreign exchange effects, membership income grew by 7.3% year over year, driven by an increase in the membership base and upgrades from Gold Star to Executive Membership [6] - As of the end of Q1, Costco had 39.7 million paid Executive Memberships, a 9.1% increase year over year, and a total of 81.4 million paid members, up 5.2% from the previous year [6]

Core Insights - Costco Wholesale Corp. is selling authentic Hermes Birkin bags and select Chanel products at significant discounts in Chinese warehouses, with prices around $14,000, which is considerably lower than the typical market price [1] - The strategy of selling luxury items was first introduced during Costco's debut in Shanghai in 2019 and has generated viral demand among affluent Chinese shoppers [2] - In the first quarter of fiscal 2026, Costco reported revenue of $67.31 billion, exceeding estimates of $67.14 billion, and adjusted earnings of $4.50 per share, surpassing the consensus of $4.27 [2] Company Performance - Mizuho upgraded Costco's rating to Outperform from Neutral and raised its price target to $1,000 from $950, indicating a potential upside of about 17% [4] - Concerns regarding slowing membership and comparable sales growth were dismissed, with the firm noting that half of recent U.S. warehouse openings are "fill-ins" in strong markets, suggesting healthy underlying demand [5] - Jim Cramer indicated that Costco shares are becoming attractive again following these developments [5] Market Trends - Recent data from Bank of America shows record inflows into consumer staples, as investors shift away from tech-heavy trades, highlighting defensive names like Costco [6] - This trend reflects a broader investor strategy seeking safety amid deteriorating prospects for high-growth sectors [6]