Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST): Today's Featured Retail Winner

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.

Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) pushed the Retail industry higher today making it today's featured retail winner. The industry as a whole was unchanged today. By the end of trading, Costco Wholesale Corporation rose $1 (1.1%) to $96.62 on average volume. Throughout the day, 2.7 million shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of two million shares. The stock ranged in a price between $95.77-$96.63 after having opened the day at $96 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $95.62. Other companies within the Retail industry that increased today were: Overstock.com (OSTK), up 23.4%, Liquidity Service (LQDT), up 9.2%, ALCO Stores (ALCS), up 6.3%, and Village Super Market (VLGEA), up 6%.

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Costco Wholesale Corporation operates membership warehouses that offer a selection of branded and private label products in a range of merchandise categories in no-frills, self-service warehouse facilities. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a market cap of $41.16 billion and is part of the services sector. The company has a P/E ratio of 24.5, equal to the average retail industry P/E ratio and above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 14.2% year to date as of the close of trading on Wednesday. Currently there are 12 analysts that rate Costco Wholesale Corporation a buy, two analysts rate it a sell, and eight rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Costco Wholesale Corporation as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, impressive record of earnings per share growth, compelling growth in net income, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures and notable return on equity. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company shows low profit margins.

• You can view the full Costco Wholesale Ratings Report.

On the negative front, Bidz.com (BIDZ), down 16.1%, HHGregg Incorporated (HGG), down 13.8%, Best Buy (BBY), down 10.3%, and China Jo-Jo Drugstores (CJJD), down 6.5%, were all laggards within the retail industry with eBay (EBAY) being today's retail industry laggard.

• Use our retail section to find industry-relevant news.
• Or find some new ideas from our top rated stocks lists.

For investors not wanting singular stock exposure, ETFs may be of interest. Investors who are bullish on the retail industry could consider SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) while those bearish on the retail industry could consider ProShares Ultra Sht Consumer Goods (SZK).

• Find other investment ideas from our top rated ETFs lists.

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For more information on Costco Wholesale Corporation click any of the following:

• Costco Wholesale Corporation Stock Price

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• Costco Wholesale Corporation Earnings

• Costco Wholesale Corporation Ratio Comparison

• Costco Wholesale Corporation Growth Rates

• Costco Wholesale Corporation Balance Sheet

• Costco Wholesale Corporation Cash Flow

• Costco Wholesale Corporation Income Statement