During the Iran war, the market’s most reliable winners haven’t been extractors or refiners. Instead, it's the companies that own the tankers setting the market pace, especially those operating Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs).
VLCCs each haul around 2 million barrels of crude oil per voyage. And.... |
Good MorningMarket sentiment remains constructive as investors wait for earnings to confirm the next leg higher. The central tension is AI spending versus profitability, with this week’s reports expected to show whether aggressive capital investment is still creating durable earnings growth or beginning to peak.
The key macro driver is easing inflation, which has strengthened expectations that monetary policy can become more supportive over time. That shift matters because lower rate pressure supports higher valuations while reinforcing confidence in capital spending, particularly across technology, industrials, and transportation. Even so, rising oil prices remain an overhang that could quickly reshape expectations if energy costs begin feeding back into inflation.
Alphabet will set the tone by showing whether AI investment remains elevated and whether that spending is producing stronger revenue and earnings. Texas Instruments will offer a read on datacenter demand and the broader recovery in analog and industrial chips. Intel’s report will test progress on margins, processor demand, foundry operations, and customer wins. 3M will update investors on its turnaround, margin improvement, and full-year guidance. Traders are watching upcoming earnings for evidence that AI investment, improving margins, and resilient demand can sustain earnings growth. Featured: The $15 Gold Fund That Pays Up to $1,152/Month (Ad) 
| Energy | |
During the Iran war, the market’s most reliable winners haven’t been extractors or refiners. Instead, it's the companies that own the tankers setting the market pace, especially those operating Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs).
VLCCs each haul around 2 million barrels of crude oil per voyage. And... Read the Full Story |
| From Our Partners | | Marc Chaikin, founder of Chaikin Analytics, says two forces - AI disruption and fracturing global trade - are triggering a historic wealth transfer already underway in 2026. Household names like Intuit (-57%), Boston Scientific (-49%), and Tractor Supply (-40%) are cratering, while lesser-known companies like Sandisk (+573%) and Rackspace (+444%) surge.
Chaikin has identified specific stocks he believes investors should sell before they fall further - and the names may surprise you. He's also pinpointing a company tapped as Nvidia's self-driving partner and a potential AI megadeal that could split into three high-growth stocks.
Stream his free presentation to get every buy and sell recommendation with no membership or credit card required. | | Watch Marc Chaikin's free presentation and get his full buy-and-sell list today |
| Technology | |
While much of the technology world has spent the past few years scrambling to bolt artificial intelligence (AI) features onto existing products, Shopify Inc. (NASDAQ: SHOP) has been playing a quieter, and potentially far smarter, game.
Rather than treating AI as a marketing add-on, the e-commerce ... Read the Full Story |
| Markets | |
More than a year after the federal government renewed a push toward nuclear energy, the industry is building momentum thanks to a streamlined process for reactor authorization, an ambitious goal of 300 additional gigawatts of capacity by 2050, and more. The timing is crucial, as AI electricity dema... Read the Full Story |
| From Our Partners | | Barrick Mining has spent decades building one of Nevada's richest gold districts, anchored by Fourmile, Goldrush, and Cortez Hills, deposits that could hold up to 60 million ounces of gold.
One overlooked explorer controls 142 claims bordering Fourmile and sitting less than a mile from Goldrush. New geological modeling aims to reveal what's beneath this largely untested ground, while a planned 5% royalty spin-off could give shareholders a separate stake in the project. | | Read the full report before the next catalyst hits |
| Industrials | |
An optimistic Q2 earnings report from GE Aerospace (NYSE: GE) saw the company boost full-year profit guidance amid resilient demand for repairs and spare parts in spite of challenges related to fuel prices and more. This may bode well for the aerospace service industry more broadly, suggesting that... Read the Full Story |
| Communication Services | |
When SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX) went public just over a month ago, on June 12, it did so as the most hotly anticipated listing in years, and unmistakably as a space company. Rockets, satellites, and Mars ambitions were the story. But barely a month into its life on the public markets, a different narrat... Read the Full Story |
| | Communication Services | |
Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) has been one of the weakest large-cap media and technology stocks over the past year, with shares still sharply lower in 2026 heading into its Q2 earnings report. Investors who hoped the report would reverse that trend may have to wait. NFLX sold off after delivering a m... Read the Full Story |
| Industrials | |
Airline stocks’ sensitivity to jet fuel prices is tested whenever fuel spikes. In 2026, fuel costs are testing every airline's balance sheet. This quarter, both Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) and United Airlines (NYSE: UAL) passed the test on paper. But they passed it in very different ways—and the di... Read the Full Story |
| Materials | |
Alcoa Corporation (NYSE: AA) just handed investors a lesson in reading between the lines. Shares fell after the aluminum giant reported Q2 2026 earnings and trimmed its full-year outlook, partly due to a weather-related disruption at one of its Australian facilities.
However, the pressure on AA di... Read the Full Story |
| Healthcare | |
Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ: ISRG) was part of the artificial intelligence (AI)/robotics trade before it became mainstream.
The company manufactures the da Vinci robotic surgical system, which has an installed base of over 11,700 systems as of June 30, 2026.
That was one highlight from the company’s... Read the Full Story |
| Communication Services | |
Another manic market week was punctuated by a tech wreck that pressured the S&P 500 and NASDAQ indexes. Nothing was working in the technology sector: chipmakers, neocloud providers, and hyperscalers were all down, as investors grew impatient or just tired of the artificial intelligence (AI) tra... Read the Full Story |
| Monday's Early Bird Stock Of The Day 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. | Should I Buy Costco Wholesale Stock? COST Bull and Bear Case Explained
These insights were generated using artificial intelligence. They are based on proprietary MarketBeat data, news articles, and custom LLM A.I. algorithms. This analysis of Costco Wholesale was last updated on Thursday, September 03, 2026 at 6:05 PM.
Costco Wholesale Bull Case -
Costco reported strong August net sales of $23.70 billion, which increased 9.9% year over year, while fourth-quarter sales rose 11.3% to $93.9 billion, demonstrating robust top-line growth that supports the company's valuation.
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Analysts at BTIG Research reaffirmed a Buy rating with a price target of $1,125.00, suggesting a potential upside of 21.6% from the current stock price of $925.41, reflecting confidence in the retailer's resilient core performance and market-share gains.
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The company's fiscal-year sales increased 10.2% to $297.3 billion, with total comparable sales growing 8.4% and digitally enabled sales climbing 20.9%, indicating that Costco is successfully expanding its membership base and e-commerce capabilities without altering its fundamental business model.
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Costco's recent earnings results showed actual EPS of $4.93, slightly exceeding the consensus estimate of $4.94, and actual revenue of $70.527 billion, which surpassed the consensus revenue of $70.122 billion, highlighting the company's ability to consistently meet or exceed financial expectations.
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With a beta of 0.87, Costco exhibits lower volatility compared to the broader market, making it a potentially stable investment for investors seeking to reduce portfolio risk while still participating in the growth of a leading consumer staples retailer.
Costco Wholesale Bear Case -
The US Department of Justice has expanded its antitrust investigation into beef pricing, requesting detailed records from Costco regarding costs, margins, and supply-chain arrangements, which creates potential legal, regulatory, and reputational risks for the company.
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Costco abruptly discontinued its curated online marketplace, Costco Next, which may disappoint members and raise questions about the service's contribution to customer engagement and e-commerce growth, potentially impacting the company's digital strategy.
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Despite strong sales, the stock has experienced recent declines, trading down $3.07 to $925.41, and is currently below its 50-day simple moving average of $944.65 and 200-day simple moving average of $978.84, suggesting short-term bearish momentum.
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Insider selling has been notable, with Director Kenneth Denman selling 885 shares at an average price of $957.45 and EVP Claudine Adamo selling 730 shares at $1,003.02, which could signal a lack of confidence from company insiders in the current stock price.
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Costco's P/E ratio of 46.55 is relatively high, indicating that investors are paying a premium for the company's earnings, which may limit upside potential if growth slows or if the market re-evaluates the stock's valuation.
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