Costco Stock (COST) Crowned Top Retail Pick for the Rest of 2026 — Here’s Why Shares in wholesale retailer Costco (COST) dipped on Monday despite being named one of Bernstein’s top retail stock picks for the second half of 2026. Analyst Zhihan Ma highlighted Costco’s strong sales growth and long-term potential, even as broader industry challenges persist. The firm’s analysis emphasized the company’s resilience amid ongoing inflationary pressures and shifting consumer behavior. Ma, who selected Costco alongside discount retailer Dollar General (DG) as her top picks for H2 2026, noted that while energy price surges from the Middle East crisis have eased, inflation remains a key concern. She pointed to lingering effects such as higher packaging and fertilizer costs, which have yet to fully impact consumer spending. Additionally, the risk of new tariffs could further strain inflation, disproportionately affecting lower-income households while high-income consumers continue to seek affordable options. Despite these challenges, Ma argued that Costco has performed relatively well year-to-date. Her analysis focused on the company’s recent double-digit growth in comparable sales—sales from stores open for at least a year. This growth was driven by increased traffic to Costco’s fueling stations, where customers sought cheaper gas, and visits to its warehouse-style stores in the same parking lots. Even as gas inflation begins to moderate, Ma expects Costco to maintain 6-7% comparable sales growth, excluding gas and foreign exchange factors. She also cited the prospect of a special dividend as a near-term support for the stock. The analyst further emphasized Costco’s expansion of its international footprint as a key driver of long-term growth.#middle_east_crisis #costco #dollar_general #bernstein #zhihan_ma
Top Bernstein Analyst Has Optimistic Costco Stock Outlook for 2026 Costco Wholesale (COST) shares experienced a slight decline on Monday, June 29, as one of Wall Street’s top retail analysts, Zhihan Ma of Bernstein, delivered a bullish outlook for the company’s stock in the second half of 2026. Ma, who has been a prominent voice in retail analysis, named Costco and Dollar General (DG) as her top retail picks for the period. Her recent analysis included raising Costco’s price target to $1,194 from $1,192, while maintaining her “outperform” rating. This target significantly exceeds the stock’s closing price of $951.67 on Thursday, July 2, despite the stock having already risen over 11% since January. Ma’s optimism is rooted in her belief that Costco can capitalize on ongoing inflationary pressures by turning them into a competitive advantage. While inflation continues to strain household budgets, she argues that Costco’s business model allows it to thrive in such environments. Her analysis highlights how the company’s ability to offer low prices and value-driven products positions it well against broader retail challenges. A key factor in Ma’s outlook is Costco’s performance in the retail sector, particularly its ability to attract customers during periods of economic uncertainty. She points to the company’s recent double-digit sales growth, much of which has been driven by increased traffic at Costco’s gas stations as drivers seek cheaper fuel. Even as gas inflation begins to moderate, Ma expects Costco to maintain a strong growth trajectory, projecting 6-7% comparable sales growth excluding gas and foreign exchange impacts. She also notes the potential for a special dividend to further support the stock’s performance in the near term. Costco’s financial results have reinforced the analyst’s confidence.#costco_wholesale #ron_vachris #dollar_general #bernstein #zhihan_ma
Dollar General Names Grocery Industry Vet Jerry Fleeman as CEO Dollar General has appointed Jerry Fleeman, a 35-year veteran of the grocery industry, as its new chief executive officer. Fleeman, who previously served as CEO of Ahold Delhaize’s U.S. operations for three years, will take over at the start of 2027, the discount retailer announced in a March 24 news release. He succeeds Todd Vasos, who led the company for most of the past 11 years and will remain in an advisory role until April 2 of next year. Fleeman’s tenure at Ahold Delhaize USA, which includes brands like Food Lion, Stop & Shop, and Hannaford Supermarkets, involved overseeing the launch of the company’s eCommerce platform. Before becoming CEO, he held multiple leadership roles within the organization. Vasos praised Fleeman’s leadership qualities, stating that his “servant leadership approach” and “eye for retail” make him well-suited to guide Dollar General through its next phase of growth. The transition coincides with Dollar General’s continued expansion of its digital capabilities. The company highlighted its digital ecosystem during a recent earnings call, noting that its DG mobile app now has over 7 million monthly active users and more than 100 million marketable customer profiles across its platforms. Executives emphasized that more than 80% of delivery orders arrive within an hour, with delivery transactions typically resulting in larger basket sizes compared to in-store purchases. Deliveries contributed approximately 80 basis points to the retailer’s fourth-quarter comparable sales growth. Dollar General’s digital initiatives include its DG Media Network, a retail media platform that generated around $170 million in retail media volume during 2025.#dollar_general #todd_vasos #jerry_fleeman #ahold_delhaize #dg_mobile_app
Ahold Delhaize USA CEO to depart JJ Fleeman, who has spent over three decades with the grocery company, is leaving his role as CEO of Ahold Delhaize USA to become the new CEO of Dollar General, effective January 2027. Fleeman’s departure was announced in a Tuesday statement, with his transition set to take place in June. He will replace Todd Vasos at Dollar General, who will remain as CEO through the end of 2026 before transitioning to a senior advisor role through April 2027. Vasos is expected to stay on as a board member of the discounter. Fleeman’s career at Ahold Delhaize has spanned nearly 36 years, during which he held multiple leadership positions. He began his tenure with the company’s pre-merger Delhaize America division, focusing on retail operations, merchandising, and organizational development. Over time, he moved into strategic roles, including chief commercial services and strategy officer, and later became president of Peapod Digital Labs, the company’s e-commerce division, in 2018. He also held several vice president roles under the Food Lion brand, overseeing strategy, business planning, marketing, and brand strategy. Ahold Delhaize has not yet named Fleeman’s successor or an interim CEO. Frans Muller, president and CEO of Ahold Delhaize, praised Fleeman’s contributions, highlighting his role in building the company’s omnichannel foundation and expressing confidence in the U.S. leadership team to continue executing the company’s Growing Together strategy. Fleeman’s move to Dollar General comes as the retailer prepares for a new era under his leadership. David Rowland, Dollar General’s chairman of the board, emphasized Fleeman’s proven track record in establishing strategic visions and driving measurable results.#dollar_general #ahold_delhaize_usa #jj_fleeman #frans_muller #todds_vasos
Dollar General CEO Todd Vasos to step down, again Dollar General announced on Tuesday that CEO Todd Vasos will resign from his position effective January 1, 2027. His successor will be JJ Fleeman Jr., currently the CEO of Ahold Delhaize USA, who will take over in June. Fleeman will also join Dollar General’s board of directors in January. Vasos will serve as a senior adviser until April 2, 2027, and remain on the board after the transition. Vasos has held the role of CEO for a combined total of ten years across two separate terms. He initially served from 2015 to 2022, but was replaced by Chief Operating Officer Jeffery Owen in 2022. However, Owen was dismissed less than a year later, prompting Vasos to return to the CEO role to help stabilize the company. This marks his second tenure as CEO. Fleeman, who has spent approximately 35 years in grocery retail with Ahold Delhaize companies, will bring extensive experience in strategy, operations, marketing, merchandising, and digital innovation to Dollar General. The company emphasized that Fleeman’s leadership will focus on building on the transformative changes Vasos implemented during his time, including expanding fresh produce offerings, enhancing digital capabilities, and growing the business internationally. The board highlighted Fleeman’s proven track record as a CEO, noting his ability to establish strategic visions and drive measurable results. His leadership is expected to strengthen customer relationships, foster positive employee experiences, and create lasting community impact. Fleeman became CEO of Ahold Delhaize USA in 2023, overseeing the division that includes brands like Food Lion, Giant Food, and Stop & Shop. Dollar General’s recent financial performance reflects its growth trajectory. The company reported fourth-quarter net sales of $10.#dollar_general #todd_vasos #jj_fleeman_jr #ahold_delhaize_usa #food_lion
Adobe stock declines after CEO announces departure, Ulta shares drop amid earnings miss Fourth quarter earnings reports are concluding, with Oracle (ORCL) serving as a key highlight. Nearly all S&P 500 companies have released results for the quarter, and the index is projected to achieve a 14% earnings growth rate, marking its fifth consecutive quarter of double-digit gains. Investors are closely monitoring updates on artificial intelligence advancements, consumer health trends, and the effects of trade tariffs. Other major earnings reports this week included Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), NIO Inc. (NIO), Adobe (ADBE), and Dollar General (DG). Ulta (ULTA) stock fell 8% in after-hours trading after the beauty retailer issued cautious guidance and missed fourth-quarter earnings expectations. For the full year, Ulta forecasted earnings per share of $28.05 to $28.55, below Wall Street’s estimate of $28.57. Investors had focused on the company’s same-store sales outlook of 2.5% to 3.5%, which fell short of the 3.5% guidance expected. The company’s diluted EPS of $8.01 missed estimates of $8.03, though revenue of $3.89 billion beat forecasts of $3.82 billion. Same-store sales rose 5.8% year-over-year. Adobe (ADBE) stock dropped 7% following the announcement that CEO Shantanu Narayen will step down after 18 years. Narayen will remain on the board and collaborate with director Frank Calderoni to find a successor. The company is adapting to the AI-driven tech landscape by introducing new agentic AI features in its creative software, but investors remain skeptical about the potential disruption to Adobe’s core business. Year-to-date, the stock is down 22%. Adobe’s fourth-quarter EPS of $6.06 and revenue of $6.39 billion exceeded analyst estimates of $5.88 and $6.28 billion, respectively.#shantanu_narayen #adobe_ceo #ulta #dollar_general #dicks_sporting_goods
