The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights Costco Wholesale, Walmart and Amazon.com

For Immediate ReleaseChicago, IL – June 6, 2025 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Costco Wholesale Corp. COST, Walmart Inc. WMT and Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN.Here are highlights from Thursday’s Analyst Blog:Is Costco's BNPL Push a Catalyst for Big-Ticket E-Commerce?Costco Wholesale Corp. has made a bold move into digital retail with its recent Buy Now Pay Later (“BNPL”) initiative. Partnering with Affirm, the company now offers flexible installment payments on high-ticket categories such as appliances, furniture, consumer electronics and more through its e-commerce platform. Though still in its early stages, management noted encouraging initial sales trends during the third quarter of fiscal 2025. Costco's latest move is not just about convenience but about providing consumers with access to a wide range of affordable, high-quality products.With inflation still pressuring discretionary spending, BNPL can lower psychological purchase barriers, particularly among younger shoppers and budget-conscious households. Given Costco’s strength in delivering value through limited SKUs and high volumes, this financing option could unlock new purchasing behavior in large-item categories that typically require up-front capital. Costco Logistics saw a 31% year-over-year increase in big and bulky e-commerce deliveries in the last reported quarter, an area where BNPL may further accelerate adoption.This strategic move also aligns with broader retail trends, where flexibility in payment options is becoming a key part of consumers’ purchase-making decisions. The added convenience could enhance Costco's competitive edge in the fast-growing e-commerce landscape, allowing it to better capture market share in high-ticket categories that were previously less accessible to certain demographics. Well, Costco’s e-commerce comparable sales jumped 14.8% in the third quarter, and BNPL could deepen that momentum.How Are Costco Rivals WMT & AMZN Approaching?While Costco’s BNPL rollout is in its nascent stage, competitors like Walmart Inc. and Amazon.com, Inc. have already embedded installment options into their ecosystems. Walmart offers BNPL both online and in-store, with a particular focus on seasonal items and electronics. This move aligns with Walmart's broader strategy to boost its e-commerce presence and cater to a growing base of price-sensitive consumers.Amazon has introduced Amazon Pay Later, allowing shoppers to break up their purchases into convenient monthly payments. The service aims to reduce the burden of paying the full amount upfront, giving customers easier access to higher-priced items while helping them manage their budgets more effectively.Costco’s Price Performance, Valuation and EstimatesCostco stock has been a standout performer, with shares rallying 14.8% year to date, outpacing the industry’s growth of 8.7%.From a valuation standpoint, Costco's forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio stands at 54.21, higher than the industry’s ratio of 34.39. COST carries a Value Score of D.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Costco’s current financial-year sales and earnings per share implies year-over-year growth of 8.1% and 11.9%, respectively.Costco currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.Why Haven't You Looked at Zacks' Top Stocks?Since 2000, our top stock-picking strategies have blown away the S&P's +7.7% average gain per year. Amazingly, they soared with average gains of +48.4%, +50.2% and +56.7% per year.Today you can access their live picks without cost or obligation.See Stocks Free >>Why Haven't You Looked at Zacks' Top Stocks?Since 2000, our top stock-picking strategies have blown away the S&P's +7.7% average gain per year. Amazingly, they soared with average gains of +48.4%, +50.2% and +56.7% per year.Today you can access their live picks without cost or obligation.See Stocks Free >>Zacks Investment Research800-767-3771 ext. 9339support@zacks.comhttps://www.zacks.comPast performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.Zacks' Research Chief Names "Stock Most Likely to Double"Our team of experts has just released the 5 stocks with the greatest probability of gaining +100% or more in the coming months. Of those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian highlights the one stock set to climb highest.This top pick is among the most innovative financial firms. With a fast-growing customer base (already 50+ million) and a diverse set of cutting edge solutions, this stock is poised for big gains. Of course, all our elite picks aren’t winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Nano-X Imaging which shot up +129.6% in little more than 9 months.Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners UpWant 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 Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN): Free Stock Analysis Report Walmart Inc. (WMT): Free Stock Analysis Report Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks