Early Retirement Portfolio: Top 5 Stocks to Buy

4. Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 106

On April 9, Telsey Advisory Group raised its price recommendation on Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) to $1,135 from $1,125. It reiterated an Outperform rating on the shares. The firm said Costco is still executing well, even with some uncertainty in the broader environment. It expects the company to keep gaining share while staying profitable.

Also on April 9, Wells Fargo lifted its price target on Costco to $1,000 from $950 and maintained an Equal Weight rating. The firm pointed to a solid March performance. Core comparable-store sales rose 6.2%, despite a 150 basis point headwind from Easter timing. Higher gas prices provided a slight offset. Wells Fargo does not expect much of a reaction in the stock, as consumer uncertainty is still present.

On April 8, Costco reported net sales of $28.41 billion for March, up 11.3% from $25.51 billion last year. Comparable sales for the five weeks ended April 5, 2026, increased 9.4%. The US rose 8.7%, Canada was up 10.7%, and other international markets gained 11.9%. E-commerce was a standout, with comparable sales up 23.3% for the month. After adjusting for foreign exchange and gas prices, comparable sales were up 6.2% overall, including a 6.2% increase in the U.S.

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) operates membership warehouses and e-commerce platforms that offer nationally branded and private-label products across a wide range of categories. The company buys most of its merchandise directly from suppliers and routes it to cross-docking consolidation depots or directly to its warehouses.