We recently published 9 Stocks Jim Cramer Talked About in a Show Where He Advised OpenAI to Slow Down. Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer discussed in the show. Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) is one of Cramer's favorite companies. He has regularly praised the firm in 2025, primarily due to its scale and ability to keep prices low in today's inflationary environment. Cramer has kept the faith in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) even though the sh ...

Core Points - BJ's Wholesale Club is reintroducing its free turkey promotion for the 2025 holiday season, which is a tradition for its members [1] - Members who spend $150 or more in a single transaction from November 1-10 will qualify for a free Butterball turkey [1] - The free turkey coupon will be accessible to members starting November 15 [1]

Core Viewpoint - BJ's Wholesale Club is expanding its presence in Tennessee with the opening of a new location in Sevierville on November 14, enhancing its market reach and customer accessibility [1] Company Expansion - The new club in Sevierville will be BJ's fifth location in Tennessee, indicating a strategic growth plan in the region [1] - The address of the new club is 124 Allensville Road, which is positioned to attract local customers [1] Fuel Station Offering - An on-site BJ's Gas station will accompany the new club, set to open on October 29 at 6:30 a.m., providing everyday low fuel prices [1] - The gas station will also feature BJ's Fuel Savers Program, which offers potential additional savings for members [1] Value Proposition - BJ's Wholesale Club emphasizes its commitment to providing unbeatable value on everyday essentials, which is a core aspect of its business model [1]

Core Membership Model - Costco's worldwide membership renewal rate decreased to 89.8% in Q4 of fiscal 2025 from 90.2% in the previous quarter, with U.S. and Canada rates at 92.3%, down 40 basis points sequentially [1][9] - The decline is linked to an increase in online sign-ups, particularly from a Groupon campaign in December 2023, which attracted younger members [2][9] - Nearly half of new members are under 40, indicating a generational shift in the membership base [3][9] Digital Expansion and Member Engagement - Management views the rise in online membership as a positive trend, despite slightly lower renewal rates for these members, as it broadens Costco's demographic reach [2][4] - The company faces the challenge of effectively engaging digital-first shoppers through auto-renewal programs and targeted communication to enhance brand loyalty [3][4] Financial Performance - Costco reported a 14% year-over-year increase in membership fee income in Q4 of fiscal 2025, totaling $1,724 million [5] - The stock has increased by 4.7% over the past year, underperforming the industry growth of 6.9% [8] - Costco's forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio is 46.02, significantly higher than the industry average of 29.94, indicating a lower Value Score of D [10] Sales and Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate projects Costco's current financial-year sales and earnings per share to grow by 7.7% and 11%, respectively [11] - Current quarter sales are estimated at $67.20 billion, with year-over-year growth of 8.12% [14] - Earnings per share for the current quarter are estimated at $4.24, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 10.99% [15]

Core Viewpoint - BJ's Wholesale Club is donating over $1.2 million to local organizations across 17 states and Washington, D.C., to support families in need [1] Group 1: Donation Details - The donation will assist local organizations nominated by BJ's team members [1] - The funds are aimed at helping families meet their essential needs [1] Group 2: Company Mission - BJ's Wholesale Club emphasizes its commitment to taking care of families who depend on the company [1] - Bob Eddy, the Chairman and CEO, highlighted the company's purpose-driven approach [1]

Core Insights - Costco membership can be a valuable investment for families, with potential savings on various products and services [1] - The stock has shown a total return of 216.83% over the past five years, indicating strong performance [2] Membership Fee Analysis - The Gold Star membership fee was $60 in 2020, and the Executive membership was $120, with a price increase occurring in 2024 [3] - Investing the current membership fee of $65 in Costco stock would yield approximately $205.67 today, enough to cover three years of membership and additional purchases [4] - An investment of $130 would result in approximately $411.73, covering three years of Executive membership and allowing for extra purchases [5] Stock Performance and Recommendations - Selling Costco stock would incur tax liabilities unless offset by tax-loss harvesting strategies, and could forfeit future gains [6] - Experts currently recommend holding Costco stock due to its strong growth potential and high valuation, suggesting new investors wait for a price pullback before buying [7]

Core Insights - Costco has a competitive advantage due to its large membership base, which allows for lower prices and contributes significantly to its profits [2][3] - The company reported a 9.3% increase in paid executive memberships year-over-year, totaling 38.7 million, which represents 47.7% of paid members and 74.2% of worldwide sales [3] - Costco's total paid members reached 81 million, up 6.3% from the previous year, with a total of 145.2 million cardholders, reflecting a 6.1% year-over-year increase [3] Membership and Profitability - Membership fees account for approximately 60% of Costco's profits, allowing the company to maintain low margins [2] - Basic Gold membership costs $65 annually, while Executive membership is priced at $130, offering benefits such as 2% cash back and exclusive operating hours [3] Expansion and Sales Performance - In Q4, Costco opened 10 new warehouses, bringing the total to 914 worldwide, with plans to open an additional 35 warehouses in fiscal year '26 [4][5] - Net sales for the fiscal year reached just under $270 billion, marking an increase of over 8% compared to the previous year [5] - E-commerce sales surpassed $19.6 billion, reflecting a growth of over 15% [5] - The company achieved record gas volumes, aided by extended gas station hours and new gas station openings [5]

Core Insights - Gold prices have reached record highs, exceeding $4,000 per ounce, which is significantly boosting demand at Costco [1] - Costco is estimated to sell around $200 million of gold and silver monthly, with inventory often selling out within hours [2] - Despite high prices potentially deterring some buyers, Costco continues to sell its gold supplies quickly, aided by its low markup strategy [4] Sales Performance - The company reported strong online sales for gold, contributing to its overall e-commerce growth, which was up 15.6% year-over-year [9] - Digital sales growth follows a previous increase of 16.1% in the prior year, indicating a consistent upward trend since Costco began selling gold [9] Membership and Marketing Strategy - Gold and silver sales are exclusive to members, creating additional buzz that attracts new sign-ups [10] - The relatively low membership fee of $65 is seen as negligible compared to the high-value purchases, such as gold bullion priced around $3,600 [10] Competitive Advantage - Costco's low markup on gold and silver makes it appealing to both professional and amateur collectors, positioning the wholesale club as an entry point for gold investing [4][8] - The strategy of routing significant sales through Costco.com allows the company to demonstrate strong e-commerce growth with minimal risk [9]

Core Viewpoint - BJ's Wholesale Club is positioning itself as a key player in the holiday toy market by offering popular toys at competitive prices, aiming to attract early holiday shoppers [1] Group 1: Product Offering - The company is featuring must-have toys from well-known brands such as Disney, Barbie, LEGO®, Play-Doh, and Hot Wheels, catering to a wide range of customer preferences [1] - BJ's is emphasizing unbeatable prices on these toys, which may enhance its competitive edge during the holiday shopping season [1] Group 2: Shopping Convenience - To facilitate early holiday shopping, BJ's is providing free shipping on all toys, making it more appealing for customers to shop online [1] - The availability of shopping through the BJ's mobile app and online at BJs.com/To adds convenience for customers, potentially increasing sales [1]

Group 1 - The author has been a Costco member since 2008 but has not invested in its stock, which is now seen as a painful oversight given the company's performance [1] - The author has a background as a corporate lawyer with an MBA and has been operating a boutique law firm for the last 10 years, focusing on investment transactions and disputes [1] - The author's investment goals include identifying reasonably priced companies with steady long-term growth and uncovering small- and mid-cap companies with potential for exponential growth through fundamental analysis [1] Group 2 - The author believes that educated individuals can outperform the market if they have the right temperament and are willing to learn basic accounting and financial principles [1]