The Motley Foolยท2025-08-02 08:10Core Viewpoint - Costco and Target are two prominent retail companies that have recently underperformed in the stock market, presenting potential investment opportunities at more attractive prices [1] Valuation - Costco has a market capitalization of over $413 billion, while Target's market cap is approximately $47 billion, reflecting investor confidence in Costco's growth [5] - Costco's trailing P/E ratio is 52.8, above its three-year median of 46.5, indicating it may be overvalued, whereas Target's P/E ratio is 14.6, below its three-year median of 17, suggesting a potential discount [6] Shareholder Returns - Costco increased its quarterly dividend from $1.16 to $1.30 per share, marking its 21st consecutive annual raise, resulting in a yield of 0.56% [8] - Target, a Dividend King, raised its dividend from $1.12 to $1.14 per share, yielding 4.4% with a 49% payout ratio, allowing for continued dividend increases [9] - Target has been more aggressive in share repurchases, buying back $251 million worth of stock last quarter, while Costco spent $215 million mainly to offset dilution [10][11] Recent Financial Performance - Costco reported $62 billion in revenue for the last quarter, an 8% year-over-year increase, with net income rising 13% to $1.9 billion [13] - Target's revenue declined 2.8% to $23.8 billion, with comparable store sales down 5.7%, although online sales increased by 4.7% [15] - Costco's membership renewal rates are high at 92.7% in the U.S. and Canada, indicating strong customer loyalty [14] Outlook - Costco's consistent growth and strong digital performance provide a competitive advantage, while Target faces uncertainty with projected adjusted EPS of $7 to $9 for 2025 [16][18] - In a challenging economic environment, Costco's stability and membership model position it as a more favorable investment choice compared to Target [18]