Core Insights - Costco Wholesale Corporation's stock increased following strong monthly sales data, indicating steady demand in both U.S. and international markets [1] - JP Morgan analyst Christopher Horvers maintains an Overweight rating on Costco with a price target of $1000, highlighting the company's market share gains and improving traffic trends [1][2] Sales Performance - Comparable sales are expected to accelerate due to easier comparisons and stimulus spending, with consumables making up about 70% of Costco's product mix [2] - U.S. core comparable sales rose 6.3% in December, surpassing consensus and internal expectations, while total enterprise traffic increased by 2.7% year over year [3][4] - Average ticket size increased by 3.4% when excluding gas price deflation and foreign exchange impacts [4] Regional Insights - The Midwest, Northwest, and Southeast regions led U.S. performance, while Australia, Japan, and Korea contributed to international strength [5] - Weather negatively impacted some Northeast demand in December, but comparisons against BJ's were less unfavorable [5] Membership and Revenue - Membership fees account for approximately half of Costco's operating profit, providing strong pricing power and margin flexibility [3] - Executive membership sign-ups rose to 80,000 per week, contributing to a 5% growth in membership fee income this quarter [6][7] Future Outlook - Strong November and December results suggest Costco "won the holidays," with expectations for continued sales growth as year-over-year comparisons ease [6] - Anticipated spring tax stimulus is expected to further enhance Costco's demand profile [6]

Key Takeaways COST saw December comparable sales rise 7%, with strong gains across all regional segments.Online sales surged 18.9% in December, continuing a three-month streak of double-digit digital growth.Costco's member model, bulk buying, and pricing edge support stable margins and customer retention.Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) maintained steady comparable sales growth in December, reflecting its appeal among value-conscious consumers. The company’s competitive pricing and quality products — ava ...

A jump in monthly same-store sales is reviving confidence in the warehouse giant. ...

Financial giants have made a conspicuous bullish move on Costco Wholesale. Our analysis of options history for Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) revealed 30 unusual trades.Delving into the details, we found 73% of traders were bullish, while 10% showed bearish tendencies. Out of all the trades we spotted, 4 were puts, with a value of $136,893, and 26 were calls, valued at $2,234,247.Projected Price TargetsAnalyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing ...

这个冬天，胖东来580元的大被子羽绒服、Costco（开市客）359.9元的32D短款羽绒服、山姆499.9元的400g充绒量的长款羽绒服，成了中产圈的"过冬新 宠"。 图源：小红书@程点点（左）、@努力努力再努力r（右）（均已获授权） "以前没发现超市羽绒服这么'香'，现在想要买还抢不着。"有网友感叹，"今年羽绒服价格动辄千元起步，有的还用飞丝充数，想买一件货真价实的羽绒 服，不容易。" 当一个有信任度背书的"大厂"出现，那些厌倦了来回对比、折腾退货的中产，便不约而同地用脚投票。 山姆服装区销售人员称："虽然没有一开门就排队抢购这么夸张，但确实羽绒服卖得比较火爆。其中，499元绒子含量80%的白鸭绒长款羽绒服，已在3天 前售罄，目前仅剩899元的鹅绒款。" 随着购买热度攀升，社交平台上很快涌现出大量"蹲守山姆羽绒服补货""求胖东来羽绒服代购"的帖子。其中，较小码数、白色成了断货榜上的高频词。 图源：小红书@可以不喜欢吗（已获授权） 超市服装区，这个曾经被时尚人士嗤之以鼻的地方，怎么就突然火起来了？三四百元的超市羽绒服，凭什么征服中产？ 超市羽绒服有多火？ 走进北京的一家山姆，有意思报告直奔服装区，没有看到想 ...

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer offered insights on. Cramer discussed the trust’s position in the stock, as he remarked: “We sold some Costco for the Charitable Trust. Frankly, we would have sold all of it, but the company’s too good… I was about to dump the whole rest of the position… when Larry Williams, the legendary technician and market historian, wrote me and said it was time to buy Costco. As much as I don’t like to stick with a stock that slides endlessly ...

Core Insights - The Chinese supermarket industry is experiencing rapid growth, with major players like Sam's Club, Fat Donglai, Hema, Aldi, Meituan, and JD entering the hard discount market and expanding aggressively in 2025 and 2026 [1][2][10][20]. Group 1: Sam's Club - Sam's Club China achieved sales exceeding 140 billion RMB in 2025, a 40% increase from 100.5 billion RMB in 2024, with plans to reach 200 billion RMB in 2026 [4][5]. - In 2025, Sam's Club opened 10 new stores, the highest annual count since entering China, and plans to open 14 more in 2026, focusing on North China and expanding into lower-tier markets [2][4][5]. Group 2: Fat Donglai - Fat Donglai reported sales of 23.5 billion RMB in 2025, a nearly 40% increase from 16.96 billion RMB in 2024, despite initial plans to limit growth [6][8]. - The opening of new stores, including the New Xiang Fat Donglai and the upcoming Zhengzhou store, is expected to boost sales further in 2026 [6][9]. Group 3: Hema - Hema plans to open 100 new stores in 2026, expanding its presence in 40 new cities, with overall revenue growth exceeding 40% in 2025 [10][11]. - The brand is focusing on mid-to-high-end markets and has transitioned to a dual model of self-operated and franchised stores for its discount brand, Super Box [11]. Group 4: Aldi - Aldi opened approximately 30 new stores in 2025 and plans to exceed 100 stores in China by the first quarter of 2026, marking a significant expansion into cities like Nanjing and Zhenjiang [14][16]. - The establishment of a new distribution center in East China is expected to enhance Aldi's supply chain and market expansion [14]. Group 5: Meituan - Meituan's Little Elephant Supermarket has re-entered the offline market, with plans to open 1,000 stores, while its Happy Monkey supermarket adopts a hard discount model [17][19]. - The company aims to leverage existing markets validated by competitors like Sam's Club for its expansion strategy [19]. Group 6: JD - JD's 7Fresh supermarket has opened over 50 stores and plans to launch 30-50 new discount supermarkets, focusing on community-based hard discount models [20][22]. - The company is implementing a "1+N" model to enhance its retail presence in key regions [20].

Costco wants its members to either join as Executive Members or pay the $65 it costs to upgrade from a Gold Star membership. That's because Executive members not only pay twice as much to join ($130 instead of $65), they also have incentive to visit the chain. The higher-level membership comes with 2% cash back on most purchases up to $1,250. If you spend the extra money for the pricier membership, it's likely that you will want to get more cash back in order to justify that expense. "For Costco, member ...

Costco Wholesale (NasdaqGS:COST) 2025 Update Summary Company Overview - **Company**: Costco Wholesale - **Date of Call**: January 07, 2026 - **Period Covered**: Five-week retail month of December 2025 Key Financial Metrics - **Net Sales**: $29.86 billion, an increase of 8.5% from $27.52 billion last year [2] - **Comparable Sales**: - **US**: 6.0% - **Canada**: 8.4% - **Other International**: 10.6% - **Total Company**: 7.0% - **Digitally Enabled**: 18.9% [2] - **Comparable Sales Excluding Gas and FX**: - **US**: 6.3% - **Canada**: 6.0% - **Other International**: 5.6% - **Total Company**: 6.2% - **Digitally Enabled**: 18.3% [2] - **Traffic Growth**: Up 2.7% worldwide and 2.4% in the US [2] Impact of External Factors - **Foreign Currency Impact**: - Canada: Positive impact of approximately 3.5% - Other International: Positive impact of approximately 5.4% - Total Company: Positive impact of approximately 1.2% [3] - **Gas Price Deflation**: Negatively impacted total reported comparable sales by approximately 40 basis points; average worldwide selling price per gallon down 4.4% [3] Regional Performance - **Strongest US Regions**: Midwest, Northwest, and Southeast [3] - **Strongest International Markets**: Australia, Japan, and Korea [3] Merchandising Highlights - **Food and Sundries**: Positive mid-single digits - **Fresh Foods**: Up high single digits, with strong performance in bakery and meat [4] - **Non-Foods**: Positive mid-single digits, with strong performance in jewelry, tires, small appliances, and majors [4] - **Ancillary Business Sales**: Up mid-single digits, with pharmacy, food court, and optical as top performers [4] - **Gas Sales**: Down low single digits due to price per gallon changes year over year [4] Forward-Looking Statements - The company provided forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ from those indicated [1]

When I last covered Costco Wholesale Corporation ( COST ) in April 2024, shares were trading around $705. I gave it a buy rating with a price target of $848. By February 2025, the stock had increased by over 52% to $1,078. NowI'm Ashish, a medical graduate turned research analyst, offering a unique perspective on investment opportunities. My background in healthcare combined with financial analysis skills allows me to provide nuanced insights into companies, particularly those with growth potential and stab ...