Costco Wholesale Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the operation of membership warehouses in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Japan, the United Kingdom, Korea, Australia, Taiwan, China, Spain, France, Iceland, New Zealand, and Sweden. The company offers branded and private-label products in a range of merchandise categories. It offers merchandise, such as sundries, dry groceries, candies, coolers, freezers, deli, liquor, and tobacco; appliances, electronics, health and beauty aids, hardware, garden and patio products, sporting goods, tires, toys and seasonal products, office supplies, automotive care products, postages, tickets, apparel, small appliances, furniture, domestics, housewares, special order kiosks, and jewelry; and meat, produce, service deli, and bakery products. The company also operates gasoline, pharmacies, optical, food courts, hearing-aid centers, and tire installation centers; and offers business delivery, travel, grocery, and various other services online. It also operates e-commerce websites. The company was formerly known as Costco Companies, Inc. and changed its name to Costco Wholesale Corporation in August 1999. Costco Wholesale Corporation was founded in 1976 and is based in Issaquah, Washington.

Costco Wholesale Corporation

Walmart Inc. WMT is refining its strategy to align with rapidly shifting consumer behaviors. In the first quarter fiscal 2026, Walmart U.S. delivered comp growth of 4.5% driven by transaction improvement of 1.6% and an average ticket increase of 2.8%, as well as strong e-commerce growth. Complementing this performance, Sam’s Club U.S. posted a robust 6.7% increase in comparable sales, excluding fuel. The growth was primarily volume-driven, with strength in Member’s Mark products.
A major driver of this traffic momentum is Walmart’s expansion of store-fulfilled delivery, now reaching 93% of U.S. households with delivery in under three hours. In the fiscal first quarter, one-third of Walmart’s deliveries were expedited, underscoring the increasing role of convenience in driving customer visits.
Membership remains another key growth lever. Walmart+ membership income rose at a double-digit rate. The company’s health and wellness category surged with high-teens growth, supported by strong prescription volume and over-the-counter product sales. To reinforce its price leadership, Walmart implemented more than 5,000 price reductions during the quarter.
Walmart’s strategy reflects a retail model that integrates stores, digital convenience and membership-driven engagement. By prioritizing faster fulfillment, competitive pricing and a broader customer reach, Walmart is positioning itself to drive steady same-store sales growth while adapting to evolving consumer demands in a highly competitive retail landscape.
Walmart’s Comp Growth Compared With Target and Costco
Target Corporation TGT reported a 3.8% decline in comparable sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2025, driven by weaker discretionary demand. However, Target continues to prioritize same-day services, with Drive Up accounting for nearly half of digital sales in the quarter. Target expanded the Target Plus marketplace, growing GMV more than 20%, aiming to enhance assortment and offset comp pressures.
In contrast, Costco Wholesale Corporation COST reported 5.7% total company comparable sales growth in the third quarter of fiscal 2025, with U.S. comparable sales up 6.6%. Costco benefited from strong traffic and private label gains via Kirkland Signature. In addition, Costco is using local sourcing and strategic inventory management to maintain volume-driven comparable sales growth despite inflationary and tariff headwinds.
WMT’s Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates
Shares of Walmart have gained around 0.4% in the past three months compared with the industry’s growth of 0.3%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, WMT trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 34.74X, significantly up from the industry’s average of 31.99X.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for WMT’s fiscal 2026 earnings implies year-over-year growth of 3.6%, whereas the same for fiscal 2027 indicates a year-over-year uptick of 11.7%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
WMT currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
One Big Gain, Every Trading Day
To help you take full advantage of this market, you’re invited to access every stock recommendation in all our private portfolios - for just $1.
Zacks private portfolio services that closed 256 double and triple-digit winners in 2024 alone. That’s about one big gain every day the market was open. Of course, not all our picks are winners, but members have seen recent gains as high as +627% +1,340%, and +1,708%.
Imagine how much you could profit with a steady stream of real-time picks from all our services that cover a number of strategies to suit a variety of investing and trading styles.
See Stocks Now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

How Walmart is Positioning for Comp Growth Amid Consumer Shifts?

Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (Symbol: QUAL) where we have detected an approximate $128.8 million dollar outflow -- that's a 0.2% decrease week over week (from 288,500,000 to 287,800,000). Among the largest underlying components of QUAL, in trading today Costco Wholesale Corp (Symbol: COST) is up about 0.1%, Nike (Symbol: NKE) is up about 2.4%, and Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc (Symbol: CMG) is lower by about 0.7%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the QUAL Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of QUAL, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, QUAL's low point in its 52 week range is $148.3401 per share, with $187.26 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $182.82. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average ».
Free Report: Top 8%+ Dividends (paid monthly)
Exchange traded funds (ETFs) trade just like stocks, but instead of ''shares'' investors are actually buying and selling ''units''. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. Each week we monitor the week-over-week change in shares outstanding data, to keep a lookout for those ETFs experiencing notable inflows (many new units created) or outflows (many old units destroyed). Creation of new units will mean the underlying holdings of the ETF need to be purchased, while destruction of units involves selling underlying holdings, so large flows can also impact the individual components held within ETFs.
Low PE Ratios
Institutional Holders of ESTX
PTE Split History
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Notable ETF Outflow Detected - QUAL, COST, NKE, CMG

Dollar General Corporation’s DG first-quarter fiscal 2025 performance suggests a strong emphasis on "Back to Basics," laying the groundwork for a renewed path to growth. Net sales rose 5.3%, and same-store sales climbed 2.4%, driven by improved store standards, stronger customer service, better inventory control and meaningful progress on shrink mitigation, which lifted the gross margin.
Merchandising initiatives, particularly SKU rationalization, are streamlining assortments to focus on high-velocity items, contributing to sales momentum. This effort aligns with improving execution in seasonal and non-consumable categories. Additionally, Dollar General continues to attract higher-income “trade-in” customers seeking value, supported by its commitment to maintaining more than 2,000 items priced at or below $1.
Furthermore, the significant investment in Project Elevate and Project Renovate remodels — targeting 20% of the store base annually — aims to bolster performance in mature stores. These remodels are expected to drive comp growth. Dollar General's goal for Project Elevate stores is to achieve first-year annualized comparable sales lifts ranging from 3% to 5%.
On the digital front, Dollar General is ramping up delivery capabilities through its exclusive partnership with DoorDash and a growing in-house same-day service, now active in 3,000-plus locations. With SNAP and EBT now integrated into online orders, the retailer is broadening access and tapping into new customer segments.
Overall, Dollar General’s disciplined focus on operations, combined with its value proposition and strategic growth initiatives, positions it to convert “Back to Basics” into sustainable growth. DG expects 3.7%-4.7% net sales growth, with 1.5%-2.5% same-store sales growth for fiscal 2025.
Dollar General’s Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates
Dollar General stock has rallied 55.7% over the past six months against the industry’s decline of 0.1%. The company has also comfortably outperformed key peers such as Target Corporation TGT and Costco Wholesale Corporation COST. During the same period, Target shares have tumbled 23.8%, while Costco has posted a modest gain of 0.7%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Dollar General’s forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 18.21 reflects a lower valuation compared to the industry’s average of 31.61. DG carries a Value Score of B. DG is trading at a premium to Target (with a forward 12-month P/E ratio of 13.21) but at a discount to Costco (48.26).
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Dollar General’s current financial-year sales suggests year-over-year growth of 4.4%, while estimates for earnings per share imply a decline of 2.7%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Dollar General currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
One Big Gain, Every Trading Day
To help you take full advantage of this market, you’re invited to access every stock recommendation in all our private portfolios - for just $1.
Zacks private portfolio services that closed 256 double and triple-digit winners in 2024 alone. That’s about one big gain every day the market was open. Of course, not all our picks are winners, but members have seen recent gains as high as +627% +1,340%, and +1,708%.
Imagine how much you could profit with a steady stream of real-time picks from all our services that cover a number of strategies to suit a variety of investing and trading styles.
See Stocks Now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Back to Basics or Back to Growth? Inside Dollar General's 2025 Plan

Key Points
Investors might think huge returns only come from tech stocks, but this retailer challenges that assumption.
While the business model remains largely unchanged from the early days, management has made successful strategic pivots in recent decades.
Consistent revenue and earnings growth shouldn’t distract investors from the stock’s exorbitant valuation.
Based on recent trends in the market and the economy, investors might think that the only way to achieve outsized returns is to allocate capital to the technology sector. After all, that's where some of the most dominant businesses reside. But other sectors can also provide winners.
Since mid-July 1995, one top retail stock has generated a monster total return of just over 16,000%, or 18.5% on an annualized basis. Had you been around to invest just $1,000 into this business back then, you'd have $163,000 today. The company's durable success, coupled with patience and the power of compounding, resulted in a fantastic outcome for shareholders.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »
Here's more about this business and whether it deserves a spot in your portfolio.
Costco is a dominant force in retail
Costco (NASDAQ: COST) is known for selling high-quality merchandise at extremely low prices in massive warehouse clubs. What's more, not just anyone can shop here. Paying an annual fee is required to visit and spend money at the stores.
At a high level, this business model has remained unchanged since the early days of the company. However, there have been some strategic pivots over the years, which any company must implement to stay competitive. That's particularly true in the retail sector.
Costco once only targeted small business customers. Now, anyone can become a member, which substantially increases the potential revenue opportunity by opening the warehouse to a larger audience.
The company has also found remarkable success with its Kirkland private label, which was introduced in 1995. About one-fourth of Costco's merchandise sales come from this banner, excluding gasoline. On a stand-alone basis, Kirkland would be one of the biggest consumer goods enterprises on Earth.
Costco is increasingly making a push to expand overseas. While 733 of Costco's 905 warehouses are still located in the U.S. and Canada, it's becoming an international operation. The company wants to get to a point where half of its new warehouses opened each year are in foreign markets.
More recently, as technological advancements alter consumer expectations, Costco isn't sitting around idle. Its online revenue is growing faster than the overall business, with an e-commerce same-store sales gain of 11.5% in June.
Is Costco stock a buy now?
For a stock to perform this well over three decades, the underlying company must have been around for a long time. And it's likely a leader in the industry today. This is true of Costco, whose $62 billion in net sales in the fiscal 2025 third quarter (ended May 11) make it the third-biggest retailer on the planet.
That size is a tremendous advantage. Costco generates huge sales figures, which require it to buy vast amounts of merchandise from its suppliers. But since the business carries just 4,000 stock-keeping units, much less than the tens of thousands at typical supermarkets, it has a strong negotiating lever to obtain favorable pricing that benefits shoppers. This advantage isn't going away.
Despite its massive scale these days, Costco continues to expand. Wall Street consensus analyst estimates predict that revenue and earnings per share will grow at compound annual rates of 7.7% and 11.2%, respectively, between fiscal 2024 and fiscal 2027. This extends a streak of durable financial gains, which highlights how well the business performs consistently.
Costco is a high-quality company that has made the stock a past winner. However, I don't think the future is as bright for investors. The underlying business is fine. It's the valuation that concerns me.
As of July 16, the stock trades in nosebleed territory. If you want to buy shares, you must be comfortable paying a price-to-earnings ratio of 54.2. There are only a few occurrences in history when the valuation was more expensive than it is today. Therefore, investors should wait for a better entry point to buy the stock.
Should you invest $1,000 in Costco Wholesale right now?
Before you buy stock in Costco Wholesale, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Costco Wholesale wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $652,133!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,056,790!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,048% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 180% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.
*Stock Advisor returns as of July 15, 2025
Neil Patel has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

1 Stock That Turned $1,000 Into $163,000

Key Points
Costco has a market cap of $430 billion and an impressive membership base of 140 million.
The company's sales and earnings are on the rise, and it's opening new stores.
While Costco stock isn't cheap, its shares still look like a good long-term investment given the company's strong financials and current growth.
There are lots of fantastic consumer goods companies for investors to buy these days, many of which have long track records of beating the market and years of solid financial performance. One of the largest consumer goods companies is Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST), a popular discount warehouse club.
The company has the second-largest market cap in the consumer goods sector, according to research from The Motley Fool, reaching $435 billion. Only Walmart is larger, putting Costco in a very exclusive club.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »
Investors love Costco stock, considering that it has nearly doubled in value over the past three years. Those impressive gains, along with the company's growth, have some investors wondering whether now is the right time to buy Costco. Here's what the company is doing right and why it's likely a smart move to add this stock to your portfolio.
What Costco is doing right
Some people may be surprised to learn that Costco generates most of its profit not from the products it sells in its warehouses, but rather from its membership fees. Costco has done a fantastic job of creating value for its members through its low-cost items, resulting in an impressive 93% renewal rate for Costco memberships.
Those renewals and the company's ability to attract new members have resulted in Costco having 140.6 million members at the end of the fiscal third quarter (which ended on May 11), an increase of nearly 7% from the year-ago quarter.
Costco's sales and earnings are impressive as well, with revenue increasing 8% in the quarter to $62 million and diluted earnings per share rising 13% to $4.28. Comparable-store sales were up by about 6% in the quarter, and e-commerce sales jumped by about 15%.
And more growth could be on the way for Costco, with management saying it will end fiscal 2025 with 24 new warehouses, giving it nearly 1,000 locations worldwide.
Why Costco stock is a buy right now
Like many other stocks, Costco's shares aren't exactly cheap. The company's shares have a price-to-earnings ratio of 55, compared to an average P/E multiple of 29 for the S&P 500 index.
But Costco's sales, earnings, and customer growth make the stock's elevated valuation more palatable. And the fact that the broader market is experiencing higher valuations than historically normal means that paying more for Costco right now probably isn't too much of a concern.
What's more, Costco's business model appears stronger than ever. Recent data shows that one-third of Costco's members have an average household income of $125,000 or higher. This is important because it indicates that Costco's business may be more resilient during a recession or economic slowdown than some of its peers.
While recession fears have somewhat tapered off as of late, there's still some uncertainty about what will happen with tariffs and how they might impact consumer spending. With Costco's high membership retention rates and a large portion of its members having a higher household income, it's likely Costco can weather any potential macroeconomic storm.
For investors looking for a consumer goods company with a fantastic business model, increasing sales and earnings, and a widening customer base, it's hard to beat Costco stock. If you're concerned about its valuation, it may be wise to implement dollar-cost averaging, starting with just a small position and adding more to it consistently over time.
Should you invest $1,000 in Costco Wholesale right now?
Before you buy stock in Costco Wholesale, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Costco Wholesale wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $687,149!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,060,406!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,069% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 180% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.
*Stock Advisor returns as of July 15, 2025
Chris Neiger has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Costco Is One of the Largest Consumer Goods Companies by Market Cap. But Is It a Buy?

Looking at the underlying holdings of the ETFs in our coverage universe at ETF Channel, we have compared the trading price of each holding against the average analyst 12-month forward target price, and computed the weighted average implied analyst target price for the ETF itself. For the Global X Conscious Companies ETF (Symbol: KRMA), we found that the implied analyst target price for the ETF based upon its underlying holdings is $44.95 per unit.
With KRMA trading at a recent price near $41.04 per unit, that means that analysts see 9.52% upside for this ETF looking through to the average analyst targets of the underlying holdings. Three of KRMA's underlying holdings with notable upside to their analyst target prices are Costco Wholesale Corp (Symbol: COST), Prologis Inc (Symbol: PLD), and Exelon Corp (Symbol: EXC). Although COST has traded at a recent price of $953.91/share, the average analyst target is 14.70% higher at $1094.18/share. Similarly, PLD has 12.09% upside from the recent share price of $106.43 if the average analyst target price of $119.30/share is reached, and analysts on average are expecting EXC to reach a target price of $47.81/share, which is 11.32% above the recent price of $42.95. Below is a twelve month price history chart comparing the stock performance of COST, PLD, and EXC:
Below is a summary table of the current analyst target prices discussed above:
Name
Symbol
Recent Price
Avg. Analyst 12-Mo. Target
% Upside to Target
Costco Wholesale Corp
COST
$953.91
$1094.18
14.70%
Prologis Inc
PLD
$106.43
$119.30
12.09%
Exelon Corp
EXC
$42.95
$47.81
11.32%
Are analysts justified in these targets, or overly optimistic about where these stocks will be trading 12 months from now? Do the analysts have a valid justification for their targets, or are they behind the curve on recent company and industry developments? A high price target relative to a stock's trading price can reflect optimism about the future, but can also be a precursor to target price downgrades if the targets were a relic of the past. These are questions that require further investor research.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Sum Up The Pieces: KRMA Could Be Worth $45

Union Pacific announced that its Board of Directors today voted to increase the quarterly dividend on the Company's common shares by 3% to $1.38 per share. The dividend is payable September 30, 2025, to shareholders of record August 29, 2025. Union Pacific has paid dividends on its common stock for 126 consecutive years. "Union Pacific continues to drive strong and growing cash returns for our shareholders," said Jennifer Hamann, executive vice president and chief financial officer. "Today's action delivers on that commitment and marks our 19th consecutive year of increased annual dividends per share."
Costco Wholesale today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend on Costco common stock of $1.30 per share. The quarterly dividend is payable August 15, 2025, to shareholders of record at the close of business on August 1, 2025.
Scholastic announced today that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.20 per share on the Company's Class A and Common Stock for the first quarter of fiscal 2026. The dividend is payable on September 15, 2025, to all shareholders of record as of the close of business on August 29, 2025.
The Board of Directors of Sonoco has declared a $0.53 per share quarterly common stock dividend. This dividend will be paid on September 10, 2025, to shareholders of record as of August 8, 2025. According to Howard Coker, President and Chief Executive Officer, this is the 401st consecutive quarter and 100th year dating back to 1925, that Sonoco has paid dividends to shareholders, and is the 42nd consecutive year the Company has increased its annualized dividend. Based on the closing price of Sonoco's common stock on July 15, 2025, the Company's dividend provides approximately a 4.7% yield, which is more than double the dividend yield of the S&P 500 Index.
Starbucks today announced that its Board of Directors has approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.61 per share of outstanding Common Stock. The dividend will be payable in cash on August 29, 2025, to shareholders of record on August 15, 2025.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Daily Dividend Report: UNP,COST,SCHL,SON,SBUX

Key Points
With an unmatched customer value proposition, Costco continues to grow its same-store sales.
Demand for Home Depot’s wares has taken a hit, but management is making moves to grow its business with professional contractors and tradespeople.
The better business isn’t always the better stock to buy.
The retail sector is truly massive. In the U.S. alone, $7.3 trillion was spent in 2024. And within this market, there are certainly some huge companies that might make for smart investment opportunities.
Two top retail companies that come to mind are Costco (NASDAQ: COST) and Home Depot (NYSE: HD). In their separate niches, both have generated substantial wealth for their shareholders since their respective initial public offerings in the 1980s. But between Costco and Home Depot, which would be the better stock to buy right now?
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Learn More »
Low prices, quality merchandise, and no frills are Costco's not-so-secret recipe
Costco's value proposition could not be clearer. It offers high-quality goods across a wide range of categories at low prices. Its loyal customers know they are foregoing a fancy shopping experience, as Costco's warehouses are a no-frills environment. What it offers instead are bulk quantities of merchandise and a treasure hunt atmosphere.
Customers love Costco, as evidenced by its steady growth. The company's same-store sales increased 5.3% in its fiscal 2024 (which ended Sept. 1), and they've climbed in each of the past three fiscal quarters. Despite macroeconomic uncertainty, it remains a top shopping destination.
During its fiscal 2025 Q3 (ended May 11), Costco collected $62 billion in net sales. This makes it one of the largest retailers on the planet. Combine this volume with a limited number of stock-keeping units (when compared to other supermarket chains), and it becomes clear why Costco has tremendous buying power with its suppliers, which helps it keep prices low for shoppers.
Retail is a low-margin game, but Costco has been able to post rising profits partly because of its membership business model. Customers are willing to fork over $65 annually for a basic membership because they know that their savings at the cash register over the course of a year will more than make up for it. Costco's membership renewal rate in the U.S. and Canada was 92.7%in the third quarter.
As macro headwinds persist, Home Depot pushes harder into the pro market
Home Depot is struggling to grow its business in the current macroeconomic environment, which features higher interest rates than people have become accustomed to and growing consumer hesitation toward big-ticket purchases.
Its same-store sales are expected to increase 1% in fiscal 2025. But they declined in the previous two fiscal years. Demand for home improvement goods was strong in the first few years after the onset of the pandemic, but things have cooled.
However, there are some favorable industry tailwinds blowing for Home Depot. U.S. housing supply is low relative to demand. On average, the nation's housing stock is getting older. And there are trillions of dollars in untapped home equity that owners could use to help pay for renovations and upgrades. Home Depot should see better demand if and when the economy improves.
Moreover, the company is playing offense, making acquisitions to strengthen its position. Last year, Home Depot purchased building materials distributor SRS Distribution for more than $18.2 billion. And it was recently announced that the SRS subsidiary bought peer GMS for $4.3 billion.
The moves have a clear objective, which is to further entrench Home Depot as a top destination for professional customers such as contractors, roofers, plumbers, and electricians. This is an extremely valuable customer group, mainly because they spend a lot more than DIY customers.
The best stock pick is not the best business
Costco's regularly strong financial results regardless of the economic backdrop show that the warehouse club operator is the better business. The market agrees. As of July 14, its shares trade at a lofty price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 55.
Home Depot might be struggling right now, but it's still the undisputed leader in the home improvement industry, which will return to better growth eventually. With its stock trading at a P/E multiple of 25, it's the better investment right now.
Should you invest $1,000 in Home Depot right now?
Before you buy stock in Home Depot, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Home Depot wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $679,653!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,046,308!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,060% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 179% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.
*Stock Advisor returns as of July 15, 2025
Neil Patel has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale and Home Depot. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Better Stock to Buy Right Now: Costco vs. Home Depot

Looking at options trading activity among components of the Russell 3000 index, there is noteworthy activity today in Costco Wholesale Corp (Symbol: COST), where a total volume of 42,491 contracts has been traded thus far today, a contract volume which is representative of approximately 4.2 million underlying shares (given that every 1 contract represents 100 underlying shares). That number works out to 206.6% of COST's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 2.1 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $950 strike put option expiring July 18, 2025, with 1,562 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 156,200 underlying shares of COST. Below is a chart showing COST's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $950 strike highlighted in orange:
Tesla Inc (Symbol: TSLA) saw options trading volume of 1.7 million contracts, representing approximately 170.0 million underlying shares or approximately 168.4% of TSLA's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 100.9 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $320 strike call option expiring July 18, 2025, with 138,974 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 13.9 million underlying shares of TSLA. Below is a chart showing TSLA's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $320 strike highlighted in orange:
And Netflix Inc (Symbol: NFLX) saw options trading volume of 49,467 contracts, representing approximately 4.9 million underlying shares or approximately 162.6% of NFLX's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 3.0 million shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $1260 strike call option expiring July 18, 2025, with 2,505 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 250,500 underlying shares of NFLX. Below is a chart showing NFLX's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $1260 strike highlighted in orange:
For the various different available expirations for COST options, TSLA options, or NFLX options, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
Institutional Holders of NCLH
VTWV market cap history
HART Insider Buying
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Notable Wednesday Option Activity: COST, TSLA, NFLX

In trading on Wednesday, shares of Costco Wholesale Corp (Symbol: COST) crossed below their 200 day moving average of $964.47, changing hands as low as $953.40 per share. Costco Wholesale Corp shares are currently trading off about 0.9% on the day. The chart below shows the one year performance of COST shares, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, COST's low point in its 52 week range is $793 per share, with $1078.235 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $958.88. The COST DMA information above was sourced from TechnicalAnalysisChannel.com
Click here to find out which 9 other dividend stocks recently crossed below their 200 day moving average »
Funds Holding TECH
KORU shares outstanding history
REXN Options Chain
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Costco Wholesale Corporation

Sign up and get access to the forecasts, "shares 360" and dividend history