Costco Wholesale Corporation Stock Is STILL a Great Buy on Any Dip

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Costco Wholesale Corporation Stock Is STILL a Great Buy on Any Dip

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Do COST stock investors really need fear Amazon as much as they do?

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text css_animation=”fadeInLeft”]Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) has spent the last four months playing victim to the Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) reign of market terror. Next to Kroger Co (NYSE:KR), COST stock took the largest percentage hit after Amazon announced its merger with Whole Foods.

Why Costco Wholesale Corporation Stock Is STILL a Great Buy on Any Dip

However, when looking at Costco’s increased sales numbers, investors should look at the supposed Amazon threat and ask the question once made famous by Wendys Co (NASDAQ:WEN) — “where’s the beef?”

Costco Stock Fell Despite Great Sales

Investors who hoped the beef would appear in the form of reduced sales numbers left hungry. On Oct. 5, Costco earnings beat expectations. The company’s net income increased 18%, revenue rose 5.7% and membership revenue rose 13% on increased membership fees.

Despite higher sales and income numbers, the Costco stock price suffered a loss of over 6% the day after the earnings announcement. The company claimed the credit card switch caused the slowing renewal rates. COST switched to a Visa Inc (NYSE:V) credit card issued by Citigroup Inc (NYSE:C) after failing to agree to renewal terms on the contract with American Express Company (NYSE:AXP). The company also increased membership fees of Gold Star members from $55- to $60-per-year in June.

Costco expects this slow down to be temporary. The company experienced a similar slowdown during a credit card switch in Canada in 2015, only to increase renewals after the conversion. The membership fee increase was the first since 2011, although like with the credit card change, most expect only a temporary slowdown regarding the change.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css_animation=”fadeIn”]

How Serious Is the AMZN Threat Anyway?

In fact, Amazon’s supposed threat to COST stock may be no threat at all. One JPMorgan study estimates that the company remains 58% cheaper than Whole Foods. Its price-conscious consumers, even those who also have an Amazon Prime membership, will not flock to Whole Foods with that level of difference. With sales still increasing, brand loyalty to COST with its Kirkland label products and other offerings remain. Additionally, customers who are uncomfortable with its bulk quantities were likely buying from retailers such as Amazon or Wal-Mart Stores Inc (NYSE:WMT) already.

And speaking of Walmart, investors once feared its retail dominance in the same way they fear Amazon today. Over time, the fear abated, and today, Walmart also struggles on the competitive front with Amazon. Walmart also owns COST’s most direct and most forgotten competitor, Sam’s Club.

Today, Costco earns approximately double the revenue of Sam’s on approximately the same number of stores. Consequently, Sam’s rarely receives mention in articles about Costco’s competitors.

More importantly, the company has addressed Amazon’s competitive threat directly. The strength of COST stock is its stores. However, it can’t place all its products and all its stores all the time. The company effectively uses its online platform to make products available at times when they’re not in stores.

In other Costco news, the company has also established a grocery delivery service. Earlier this month, the company rolled out Costco Grocery. This service will deliver non-perishable items within two days. The company also partnered with Instacart to provide same-day delivery on perishable items to certain ZIP codes.

Bottom Line on COST Stock

Despite the fear, Costco stock is showing the company’s underlying strength. Its dividend remains a compelling draw; currently at $2 per share, the dividend has increased every year for the last 14 years. Earlier this year, the company also paid a special dividend of $7 per share to its shareholders. The dividend yield of just over 1% is not particularly high. However, its record of increasing the dividend and sometimes special dividends indicates strength in COST stock as well as the company.

Costco stock price trends indicate the equity is slowly recovering. The stock hit an intra-day low of $150.93 on July 11, and it again touched around that low at exactly $150 on July 21. The stock has slowly risen since, as it has experienced days with steep falls. However, the new near-term lows never reached the lows of the previous sell-off.

On Aug. 24, COST stock hit a low of $151.33 before rising to a high of $167.07 just before the earnings announcement. The last steep drop took the stock to $154.61, and it has risen above those levels. Hence, charts indicate that any steep drop in the stock price should be regarded as a buying opportunity.

Fears of Amazon’s impending dominance over Costco appear to be sounds and fury, and little else. The company’s growth in revenues and income continues. Moreover, history indicates that any hiccups in renewals appear related to one-time changes, such as changing credit card providers and increasing renewal fees. With its brand loyalty, desired offerings and its continued sales growth, Costco remains a formidable competitor of Amazon/Whole Foods. Therefore, COST stock is an appealing choice to pick up on any dip.

As of this writing, Will Healy did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned stocks.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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