S&P 500   4,191.98
DOW   33,426.63
QQQ   336.51
Mount Etna volcano erupts, raining ash on Catania, forcing flight suspension at local airport
This MMJ Stock Needs To Be At The Top Of Your Radar! (Ad)
China tells tech manufacturers to stop using Micron chips, stepping up feud with United States
Stock market today: Asian shares mostly rise despite worries about US debt talks
This MMJ Stock Needs To Be At The Top Of Your Radar! (Ad)
SpaceX launches two Saudi astronauts on private flight to space station
Civil rights groups warn tourists about Florida in wake of 'hostile' laws
Central Bank: “Final stage” beginning now (Ad)
South Korean, German leaders agree to cooperate on supply chains, North Korea
Animal rights activists protest octopus farm plans in Spain
S&P 500   4,191.98
DOW   33,426.63
QQQ   336.51
Mount Etna volcano erupts, raining ash on Catania, forcing flight suspension at local airport
This MMJ Stock Needs To Be At The Top Of Your Radar! (Ad)
China tells tech manufacturers to stop using Micron chips, stepping up feud with United States
Stock market today: Asian shares mostly rise despite worries about US debt talks
This MMJ Stock Needs To Be At The Top Of Your Radar! (Ad)
SpaceX launches two Saudi astronauts on private flight to space station
Civil rights groups warn tourists about Florida in wake of 'hostile' laws
Central Bank: “Final stage” beginning now (Ad)
South Korean, German leaders agree to cooperate on supply chains, North Korea
Animal rights activists protest octopus farm plans in Spain
S&P 500   4,191.98
DOW   33,426.63
QQQ   336.51
Mount Etna volcano erupts, raining ash on Catania, forcing flight suspension at local airport
This MMJ Stock Needs To Be At The Top Of Your Radar! (Ad)
China tells tech manufacturers to stop using Micron chips, stepping up feud with United States
Stock market today: Asian shares mostly rise despite worries about US debt talks
This MMJ Stock Needs To Be At The Top Of Your Radar! (Ad)
SpaceX launches two Saudi astronauts on private flight to space station
Civil rights groups warn tourists about Florida in wake of 'hostile' laws
Central Bank: “Final stage” beginning now (Ad)
South Korean, German leaders agree to cooperate on supply chains, North Korea
Animal rights activists protest octopus farm plans in Spain
S&P 500   4,191.98
DOW   33,426.63
QQQ   336.51
Mount Etna volcano erupts, raining ash on Catania, forcing flight suspension at local airport
This MMJ Stock Needs To Be At The Top Of Your Radar! (Ad)
China tells tech manufacturers to stop using Micron chips, stepping up feud with United States
Stock market today: Asian shares mostly rise despite worries about US debt talks
This MMJ Stock Needs To Be At The Top Of Your Radar! (Ad)
SpaceX launches two Saudi astronauts on private flight to space station
Civil rights groups warn tourists about Florida in wake of 'hostile' laws
Central Bank: “Final stage” beginning now (Ad)
South Korean, German leaders agree to cooperate on supply chains, North Korea
Animal rights activists protest octopus farm plans in Spain

Retail/Wholesale Stocks List

This page shows information about the 50 largest retail/wholesale stocks including Amazon.com, Walmart, Home Depot, and Alibaba Group. Learn more about retail stocks.

Amazon.com logo

#1 - Amazon.com

NASDAQ:AMZN
Stock Price: $116.25 (-$1.90)
Market Cap: $1.19 trillion
P/E Ratio: 276.8
Consensus Rating: Buy (41 Buy Ratings, 2 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $143.12 (23.1% Upside)
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational technology company, which engages in the provision of online retail shopping services. It operates through the following segments: North America, International, and Amazon Web Services (AWS). The North America segment is involved in the retail sales of consumer products including from sellers and subscriptions through North America-focused online and physical stores. It also includes export sales from online stores. The International segment focuses on the amounts earned from retail sales of consumer products including from sellers and subscriptions through internationally-focused online stores. The AWS segment consists of global sales of compute, storage, database, and other services for start-ups, enterprises, government agencies, and academic institutions. The company was founded by Jeffrey P. Bezos in July 1994 and is headquartered in Seattle, WA.
Walmart logo

#2 - Walmart

NYSE:WMT
Stock Price: $149.91 (-$1.56)
Market Cap: $404.36 billion
P/E Ratio: 36.0
Dividend Yield: 1.52%
Consensus Rating: Buy (24 Buy Ratings, 5 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $166.13 (10.8% Upside)
Walmart, Inc. engages in retail and wholesale business. The company offers an assortment of merchandise and services at everyday low prices. It operates through the following business segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International, and Sam's Club. The Walmart U.S. segment operates as a merchandiser of consumer products, operating under the Walmart, Wal-Mart, and Walmart Neighborhood Market brands, as well as walmart.com and other eCommerce brands. The Walmart International segment manages supercenters, supermarkets, hypermarkets, warehouse clubs, and cash and carry outside of the United States. The Sam's Club segment consists of membership-only warehouse clubs and samsclubs.com. The company was founded by Samuel Moore Walton and James Lawrence Walton in 1945 and is headquartered in Bentonville, AR.
Home Depot logo

#3 - Home Depot

NYSE:HD
Stock Price: $290.88 (-$4.28)
Market Cap: $294.57 billion
P/E Ratio: 17.7
Dividend Yield: 2.83%
Consensus Rating: Buy (14 Buy Ratings, 12 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $323.25 (11.1% Upside)
The Home Depot, Inc. engages in the sale of building materials and home improvement products. Its products include building materials, home improvement products, lawn and garden products and decor products. The firm operates through the following geographical segments: U.S., Canada and Mexico. It offers home improvement installation services, and tool and equipment rental. The company was founded by Bernard Marcus, Arthur M. Blank, Kenneth Gerald Langone and Pat Farrah on June 29, 1978, and is headquartered at Atlanta, GA.
Alibaba Group logo

#4 - Alibaba Group

NYSE:BABA
Stock Price: $83.98 (-$1.79)
Market Cap: $222.39 billion
P/E Ratio: 20.5
Consensus Rating: Buy (15 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $144.63 (72.2% Upside)
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. engages in providing technology infrastructure and marketing reach. It operates through the following business segments: China Commerce, International Commerce, Local Consumer Services, Cainiao, Cloud, Digital Media and Entertainment, and Innovation Initiatives and Others segments. The Core Commerce segment consists of platforms operating in retail and wholesale. The China Commerce segment includes China commerce retail and wholesale businesses. The International Commerce segment focuses on international commerce retail and wholesale businesses. The Local Consumer Services segment is involved in ""To-Home"" businesses, which include Ele.me, local services and delivery platform, and Taoxianda, and ""To-Destination"" segment businesses which include Amap, the provider of mobile digital map, navigation and real-time traffic information, and restaurant and local services guide platform. The Cainiao segment has Cainiao Network and offers domestic and international one-stop-shop logistics services and supply chain management solution. The Cloud segment includes Alibaba Cloud and DingTalk. The company was founded by Chung Tsai and Yun Ma on June 28, 1999 and is head
Costco Wholesale logo

#5 - Costco Wholesale

NASDAQ:COST
Stock Price: $496.52 (-$1.58)
Market Cap: $220.20 billion
P/E Ratio: 36.5
Dividend Yield: 0.82%
Consensus Rating: Buy (17 Buy Ratings, 5 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $549.52 (10.7% Upside)
Costco Wholesale Corp. engages in the operation of membership warehouses through wholly owned subsidiaries. It operates through the following geographical segments: United States, Canada, and Other International Operations. The company was founded by James D. Sinegal and Jeffrey H. Brotman in 1983 and is headquartered in Issaquah, WA.
McDonald

#6 - McDonald's

NYSE:MCD
Stock Price: $295.55 (+$1.50)
Market Cap: $215.76 billion
P/E Ratio: 31.7
Dividend Yield: 2.07%
Consensus Rating: Buy (23 Buy Ratings, 5 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $306.83 (3.8% Upside)
McDonald's Corp. engages in the operation and franchising of restaurants. It operates through the following segments: U.S., International Operated Markets, and International Developmental Licensed Markets and Corporate. The U.S. segment focuses its operations on the United States. The International Operated Markets segment consists of operations and the franchising of restaurants in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, and the U.K. The International Developmental Licensed Markets and Corporate segment consists of developmental licensee and affiliate markets in the McDonald's system. The firm's products include Big Mac, Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Filet-O-Fish, several chicken sandwiches, Chicken McNuggets, wraps, McDonald's Fries, salads, oatmeal, shakes, McFlurry desserts, sundaes, soft serve cones, pies, soft drinks, coffee, McCafe beverages, and other beverages. The company was founded by Raymond Albert Kroc on April 15, 1955, and is headquartered in Oak Brook, IL.
Lowe

#7 - Lowe's Companies

NYSE:LOW
Stock Price: $206.27 (-$2.89)
Market Cap: $123.01 billion
P/E Ratio: 20.6
Dividend Yield: 2.01%
Consensus Rating: Hold (11 Buy Ratings, 12 Hold Ratings, 2 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $222.40 (7.8% Upside)
Lowe's Cos., Inc. engages in the retail sale of home improvement products. The firm offers products for maintenance, repair, remodeling, home decorating and property maintenance. It also provides home improvement products in the following categories: appliances, bathroom, building supply, electrical, flooring, hardware, paint, kitchen, plumbing, lighting & fans, outdoor living, windows and doors. The company was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Mooresville, NC.
Starbucks logo

#8 - Starbucks

NASDAQ:SBUX
Stock Price: $105.51 (-$1.58)
Market Cap: $120.96 billion
P/E Ratio: 34.3
Dividend Yield: 2.01%
Consensus Rating: Buy (12 Buy Ratings, 12 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $110.31 (4.5% Upside)
Starbucks Corp. engages in the production, marketing, and retailing of specialty coffee. It operates through the following segments: North America, International, Channel Development, and Corporate and Other. The North America segment focuses on the United States and Canada. The International segment is involved in China, Japan, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and Caribbean. The Channel Development segment includes roasted whole bean and ground coffees, Seattle's Best Coffee, and Teavana-branded single-serve products. The company was founded by Jerry Baldwin and Howard D. Schultz on November 4, 1985, and is headquartered in Seattle, WA.
Booking logo

#9 - Booking

NASDAQ:BKNG
Stock Price: $2,765.26 (-$15.72)
Market Cap: $102.12 billion
P/E Ratio: 27.1
Consensus Rating: Buy (14 Buy Ratings, 9 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $2,749.08 (-0.6% Upside)
Booking Holdings Inc, formerly The Priceline Group Inc., is a provider of travel and restaurant online reservation and related services. The Company, through its online travel companies (OTCs), connects consumers wishing to make travel reservations with providers of travel services across the world. It offers consumers an array of accommodation reservations (including hotels, bed and breakfasts, hostels, apartments, vacation rentals and other properties) through its Booking.com, priceline.com and agoda.com brands. Its other brands include KAYAK, Rentalcars.com and OpenTable, Inc. (OpenTable). As of December 31, 2016, Booking.com offered accommodation reservation services for over 1,115,000 properties in over 220 countries and territories on its various Websites and in over 40 languages, which included over 568,000 vacation rental properties (updated property counts were available on the Booking.com Website).
TJX Companies logo

#10 - TJX Companies

NYSE:TJX
Stock Price: $79.35 (+$0.08)
Market Cap: $91.37 billion
P/E Ratio: 24.4
Dividend Yield: 1.68%
Consensus Rating: Buy (13 Buy Ratings, 2 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $86.40 (8.9% Upside)
The TJX Cos., Inc. engages in the retail of apparel and home fashion products. It operates through the following business segments: Marmaxx, HomeGoods, TJX Canada, and TJX International. The Marmaxx segment sells family apparel including apparel, home fashions, and other merchandise. The HomeGoods segment offers an assortment of home fashions, including furniture, rugs, lighting, soft home, decorative accessories, tabletop and cookware as well as expanded pet, kids, and gourmet food departments. The TJX Canada segment operates the Winners, Marshalls, and HomeSense chains in Canada. The TJX International segment includes operations of T.K. Maxx and Homesense chains in Europe and the T.K. Maxx chain in Australia. The company was founded by Bernard Cammarata in 1976 and is headquartered in Framingham, MA.
CVS Health logo

#11 - CVS Health

NYSE:CVS
Stock Price: $69.38 (+$0.07)
Market Cap: $88.95 billion
P/E Ratio: 22.9
Dividend Yield: 3.49%
Consensus Rating: Buy (14 Buy Ratings, 3 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $110.00 (58.5% Upside)
CVS Health Corp. is a health solutions company, which engages in the provision of healthcare services. It operates through the following segments: Pharmacy Services, Retail or Long-Term Care, Health Care Benefits, and Corporate and Other. The Pharmacy Services segment focuses on the pharmacy benefit management solutions. The Retail or Long-Term Care segment includes the sale of prescription drugs and an assortment of health and wellness products, and general merchandise. The Health Care Benefits segment offers traditional, voluntary, and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental and behavioral health plans, medical management capabilities, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans, Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, Medicaid health care management services, and health information technology products and services. The Corporate and Other segment is involved in providing management and administrative services. The company was founded by Stanley P. Goldstein and Ralph Hoagland in 1963 and is headquartered in Woonsocket, RI.
Target logo

#12 - Target

NYSE:TGT
Stock Price: $152.28 (-$1.90)
Market Cap: $70.28 billion
P/E Ratio: 25.9
Dividend Yield: 2.80%
Consensus Rating: Buy (17 Buy Ratings, 12 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $181.69 (19.3% Upside)
Target Corp. engages in the operation and ownership of general merchandise stores. It offers food assortments including perishables, dry grocery, dairy, and frozen items. The company was founded by George Draper Dayton in 1902 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, MN.
MercadoLibre logo

#13 - MercadoLibre

NASDAQ:MELI
Stock Price: $1,310.88 (-$21.61)
Market Cap: $65.82 billion
P/E Ratio: 107.4
Consensus Rating: Buy (6 Buy Ratings, 2 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $1,480.50 (12.9% Upside)
MercadoLibre, Inc. engages in the development of an online commerce platform with a focus on e-commerce and related services. It operates through the following geographical segments: Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and Other Countries. The Other Countries segment includes Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, Bolivia, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Paraguay, Uruguay, and the United States of America. Its products provide a mechanism for buying, selling, and paying as well as collecting, generating leads, and comparing lists through e-commerce transactions. The company was founded by Marcos Eduardo Galperin on October 15, 1999 and is headquartered in Montevideo, Uruguay.
Just Eat Takeaway.com logo

#14 - Just Eat Takeaway.com

NYSE:GRUB
Stock Price: $61.05
Market Cap: $64.90 billion
Consensus Rating: Hold (0 Buy Ratings, 4 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: N/A
Just Eat Takeaway.com N.V. operates an online food delivery marketplace. The company focuses on connecting consumers and restaurants through its platforms. It serves in the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and Switzerland, as well as through partnerships in Colombia and Brazil. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Chipotle Mexican Grill logo

#15 - Chipotle Mexican Grill

NYSE:CMG
Stock Price: $2,106.22 (+$10.35)
Market Cap: $58.11 billion
P/E Ratio: 57.0
Consensus Rating: Buy (21 Buy Ratings, 6 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $2,021.37 (-4.0% Upside)
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. engages in the development and operation of classically-cooked, real food with wholesome ingredients without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. It offers a focused menu of burritos, tacos, burrito bowls, and salads prepared using classic cooking methods. The company was founded by Steve Ells in 1993 and is headquartered in Newport Beach, CA.
O

#16 - O'Reilly Automotive

NASDAQ:ORLY
Stock Price: $954.30 (+$12.50)
Market Cap: $58.10 billion
P/E Ratio: 27.6
Consensus Rating: Buy (10 Buy Ratings, 4 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $933.38 (-2.2% Upside)
O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. owns and operates retail outlets in the United States. It engages in the distribution and retailing of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment, and accessories in the U.S., serving both professional installers and do-it-yourself customers. It provides new and remanufactured automotive hard parts, including alternators, starters, fuel pumps, water pumps, brake system components, batteries, belts, hoses, temperature controls, chassis parts and engine parts, maintenance items consisting of oil, antifreeze products, fluids, filters, lighting products, engine additives, and appearance products, and accessories, such as floor mats, seat covers, and truck accessories. Its stores offer auto body paint and related materials, automotive tools, and professional service provider service equipment. The firm stores also offer enhanced services and programs consisting of used oil, oil filter and battery recycling, battery, wiper, and bulb replacement, battery diagnostic testing, electrical and module testing, check engine light code extraction, a loaner tool program, drum and rotor resurfacing, custom hydraulic hoses, professional paint shop mixing and r
AutoZone logo

#17 - AutoZone

NYSE:AZO
Stock Price: $2,653.18 (+$4.23)
Market Cap: $48.82 billion
P/E Ratio: 21.8
Consensus Rating: Buy (16 Buy Ratings, 2 Hold Ratings, 1 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $2,712.06 (2.2% Upside)
AutoZone, Inc. engages in the retail and distribution of automotive replacement parts and accessories. The firm offers ALLDATA, which produces, sells, and maintains diagnostic and repair information software used in the automotive repair industry and E-commerce, which includes direct sales to customers. The company was founded by Joseph R. Hyde, III on July 4, 1979 and is headquartered in Memphis, TN.
JD.com logo

#18 - JD.com

NASDAQ:JD
Stock Price: $35.06 (-$0.74)
Market Cap: $47.88 billion
P/E Ratio: 19.9
Dividend Yield: 1.68%
Consensus Rating: Buy (6 Buy Ratings, 5 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $60.17 (71.6% Upside)
JD.com, Inc. is a technology-driven E-commerce company. It engages in the sale of electronics products and general merchandise products, including audio, video products, and books. It operates through the following segments: JD Retail, JD Logistics, and New Businesses. The JD Retail segment offers online retail, online marketplace, and marketing services. The JD Logistics segment includes internal and external logistics businesses. The New Businesses segment is composed of JD Property, Jingxi, overseas businesses and technology initiatives. The company was founded on June 18, 1998 by Qiang Dong Liu and is headquartered in Beijing, China.
Dollar General logo

#19 - Dollar General

NYSE:DG
Stock Price: $215.08 (-$2.75)
Market Cap: $47.13 billion
P/E Ratio: 20.1
Dividend Yield: 1.08%
Consensus Rating: Buy (10 Buy Ratings, 6 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $248.82 (15.7% Upside)
Dollar General Corp. engages in the operation of merchandise stores. Its offerings include food, snacks, health and beauty aids, cleaning supplies, basic apparel, housewares, and seasonal items. It sells brands including Clorox, Energizer, Procter & Gamble, Hanes, Coca-Cola, Mars, Unilever, Nestle, Kimberly-Clark, Kellogg's, General Mills, and PepsiCo. The company was founded by J. L. Turner and Hurley Calister Turner Sr. in 1939 and is headquartered in Goodlettsville, TN.
Yum! Brands logo

#20 - Yum! Brands

NYSE:YUM
Stock Price: $138.28 (-$0.17)
Market Cap: $38.73 billion
P/E Ratio: 32.5
Dividend Yield: 1.75%
Consensus Rating: Buy (10 Buy Ratings, 5 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $147.11 (6.4% Upside)
Yum! Brands, Inc. operates as a service restaurant company. The firm engages in the development, operation, franchise, and licenses of a system of restaurants. It operates through the following segments: KFC Division, Pizza Hut Division, Taco Bell Division, and Habit Burger Grill Division. The KFC Division segment consists of all operations of the KFC concept. The Pizza Hut Division segment operates the Pizza Hut concept. The Taco Bell Division segment includes all operations of the Taco Bell concept. The Habit Burger Grill Division segment includes its worldwide operations of the Habit Burger Grill concept. The company was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Louisville, KY.
Ross Stores logo

#21 - Ross Stores

NASDAQ:ROST
Stock Price: $104.76 (-$0.62)
Market Cap: $35.83 billion
P/E Ratio: 23.2
Dividend Yield: 1.28%
Consensus Rating: Buy (12 Buy Ratings, 1 Hold Ratings, 1 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $117.76 (12.4% Upside)
Ross Stores, Inc. engages in the operation of off-price retail apparel and home accessories stores. Its products include branded and designer apparel, accessories, footwear, and home fashions through the Dress for Less and dd's DISCOUNTS brands. The company was founded by Stuart G. Moldaw in 1957 and is headquartered in Dublin, CA.
Kroger logo

#22 - Kroger

NYSE:KR
Stock Price: $49.64 (+$0.31)
Market Cap: $35.62 billion
P/E Ratio: 16.2
Dividend Yield: 2.11%
Consensus Rating: Hold (8 Buy Ratings, 8 Hold Ratings, 1 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $52.31 (5.4% Upside)
The Kroger Co. engages in the operation of supermarkets and multi-department stores. Its brands include Big K, Check This Out?, Heritage Farm, Simple Truth, and Simple Truth Organic. The company was founded by Barney Kroger in 1883 and is headquartered in Cincinnati, OH.
Dollar Tree logo

#23 - Dollar Tree

NASDAQ:DLTR
Stock Price: $160.08 (-$0.60)
Market Cap: $35.41 billion
P/E Ratio: 22.2
Consensus Rating: Buy (8 Buy Ratings, 4 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $166.67 (4.1% Upside)
Dollar Tree, Inc. owns and operates discount variety stores offering merchandise at fixed prices. It operates through the Dollar Tree and Family Dollar segments. The Dollar Tree segment includes operations under Dollar Tree and Dollar Tree Canada brands, with its distribution centers in the United States and Canada. The Family Dollar segment consists of a chain of general merchandise retail discount stores providing consumers with a selection of competitively priced merchandise in convenient neighborhood stores. The company was founded by J. Douglas Perry and Macon F. Brock, Jr. in 1953 and is headquartered in Chesapeake, VA.
Fastenal logo

#24 - Fastenal

NASDAQ:FAST
Stock Price: $55.00 (-$0.24)
Market Cap: $31.41 billion
P/E Ratio: 28.2
Dividend Yield: 2.53%
Consensus Rating: Hold (2 Buy Ratings, 4 Hold Ratings, 1 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $53.14 (-3.4% Upside)
Fastenal Co. engages in the distribution of fasteners and tools. It also operates hardware stores. The company was founded by Robert A. Kierlin, Michael M. Gostomski, Henry K. McCannon, John D. Remick, and Stephen M. Slaggie in November 1967 and is headquartered in Winona, MN.
Coupang logo

#25 - Coupang

NYSE:CPNG
Stock Price: $16.29 (+$0.30)
Market Cap: $28.98 billion
P/E Ratio: 135.8
Consensus Rating: Buy (7 Buy Ratings, 2 Hold Ratings, 1 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $21.11 (29.6% Upside)
Coupang, Inc. owns and operates in e-commerce business through its mobile applications and Internet websites primarily in South Korea. It operates through two segments, Product Commerce and Growth Initiatives. The company sells various products and services in the categories of home goods and décor products, apparel, beauty products, fresh food and groceries, sporting goods, electronics, and everyday consumables, as well as travel, and restaurant order and delivery services. It also performs operations and support services in China, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, and the United States. Coupang, Inc. was incorporated in 2010 and is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea.
Walgreens Boots Alliance logo

#26 - Walgreens Boots Alliance

NASDAQ:WBA
Stock Price: $31.28 (-$0.18)
Market Cap: $26.99 billion
Dividend Yield: 6.14%
Consensus Rating: Hold (4 Buy Ratings, 8 Hold Ratings, 1 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $42.46 (35.7% Upside)
Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. engages in the provision of healthcare and retail pharmacy services. It operates through the following segments: United States Retail Pharmacy, International, and United States Healthcare. The US Retail Pharmacy segment includes the operation of retail drugstores, health and wellness services, specialty and home delivery pharmacy services, and equity method investment. The International segment offers pharmacy-led health and beauty retail businesses outside the US and the pharmaceutical wholesaling and distribution business in Germany. The US Healthcare segment delivers improved health outcomes and lower costs for payors and providers through owned and partnered assets. The company was founded by Charles R. Walgreen and John Boot in 1901 and is headquartered in Deerfield, IL.
Yum China logo

#27 - Yum China

NYSE:YUMC
Stock Price: $61.15 (+$0.06)
Market Cap: $25.55 billion
P/E Ratio: 40.8
Dividend Yield: 0.85%
Consensus Rating: Buy (1 Buy Ratings, 1 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: N/A
Yum China Holdings, Inc. engages in the operation and management of restaurants and fast food chains. It operates through the following segments: Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), Pizza Hut, and All Other Segments. The KFC segment operates restaurant chain. The Pizza Hut segment covers the Pizza Hut casual dining and Pizza Hut home service. The All Other segment includes Little Sheep, Huang Ji Huang, COFFii and JOY, East Dawning, Taco Bell, E-commerce business, and Lavazza. The company was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Shanghai, China.
Ulta Beauty logo

#28 - Ulta Beauty

NASDAQ:ULTA
Stock Price: $491.05 (-$22.56)
Market Cap: $24.60 billion
P/E Ratio: 20.4
Consensus Rating: Buy (16 Buy Ratings, 5 Hold Ratings, 1 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $563.71 (14.8% Upside)
Ulta Beauty, Inc. engages in the retail of beauty products. The company has one reportable segment, which includes retail stores, salon services, and e-commerce. Its products include makeup, skin care, tools and brushes, fragrance, and bath and body. Ulta was founded on January 9, 1990, and is headquartered in Bolingbrook, IL.
Tractor Supply logo

#29 - Tractor Supply

NASDAQ:TSCO
Stock Price: $224.23 (-$6.33)
Market Cap: $24.57 billion
P/E Ratio: 23.1
Dividend Yield: 1.84%
Consensus Rating: Buy (14 Buy Ratings, 7 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $250.62 (11.8% Upside)
Tractor Supply Co. engages in the retail sale of farm and ranch products. It operates retail farm & ranch stores and focuses on supplying the lifestyle needs of recreational farmers and ranchers, as well as tradesmen and small businesses. The firm operates the retail stores under the names: Tractor Supply Company, Orscheln Farm & Home, and Petsense. Its product categories include equine, livestock, pet, and small animal, hardware, truck, towing, and tool, heating, lawn and garden items, power equipment, gifts, and toys, recreational clothing and footwear, and maintenance products for agricultural and rural use. The company was founded by Charles E. Schmidt, Sr. in 1938 and is headquartered in Brentwood, TN.
eBay logo

#30 - eBay

NASDAQ:EBAY
Stock Price: $43.48 (-$0.64)
Market Cap: $23.25 billion
P/E Ratio: 36.2
Dividend Yield: 2.27%
Consensus Rating: Hold (6 Buy Ratings, 14 Hold Ratings, 2 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $49.30 (13.4% Upside)
eBay, Inc. is a commerce company, whose platforms include an online marketplace and its localized counterparts, including off-platform businesses in South Korea, Japan, and Turkey, as well as eBay's suite of mobile apps. Its technologies and services are designed to give buyers choice and a breadth of relevant inventory and to enable sellers worldwide to organize and offer their inventory for sale, virtually anytime and anywhere. The company was founded by Pierre Morad Omidyar in September 1995 and is headquartered in San Jose, CA.
Restaurant Brands International logo

#31 - Restaurant Brands International

NYSE:QSR
Stock Price: $73.26 (-$0.10)
Market Cap: $22.80 billion
P/E Ratio: 22.3
Dividend Yield: 3.00%
Consensus Rating: Buy (11 Buy Ratings, 10 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $72.13 (-1.5% Upside)
Restaurant Brands International, Inc. is a holding company, which engages in the operation of quick service restaurants. It operates through the following segments: Tim Hortons, Burger King, and Popeyes. The Tim Hortons segment provides donut, coffee, and tea restaurant services. The Burger King segment manages fast food hamburger restaurant. The Popeyes segment handles chicken category of the quick service segment of the restaurant industry. The company was founded on August 25, 2014 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
L Brands logo

#32 - L Brands

NYSE:LB
Stock Price: $0.00
Market Cap: $21.96 billion
P/E Ratio: 16.0
Dividend Yield: 0.75%
Consensus Rating: N/A (0 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: N/A
L Brands, Inc. engages in the retail of women's intimate and other apparel, personal care, beauty and home fragrance products. It operates through the following segments: Victoria's Secret, Bath & Body Works and Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works International. The Victoria's Secret segment sells women's intimate and other apparel, personal care and beauty products under the Victoria's Secret and PINK brand names. The Bath & Body Works segment offers body care, home fragrance products, soaps and sanitizers under the Bath & Body Works, White Barn, C.O. Bigelow and other brand names. The Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works International segment includes the Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works stores located outside of the U.S. and Canada, as well as the online business in Greater China. The company was founded by Leslie Herbert Wexner in 1963 and is headquartered in Columbus, OH.
Darden Restaurants logo

#33 - Darden Restaurants

NYSE:DRI
Stock Price: $161.41 (-$0.73)
Market Cap: $19.52 billion
P/E Ratio: 21.1
Dividend Yield: 2.99%
Consensus Rating: Buy (19 Buy Ratings, 5 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $160.23 (-0.7% Upside)
Darden Restaurants, Inc. is a full-service restaurant company, which engages in the provision of restaurant services. It operates through the following segments: Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Fine Dining, and Other Business. The Olive Garden segment is the largest full-service dining Italian restaurant operator. The LongHorn Steakhouse segment includes the results of the company-owned LongHorn Steakhouse restaurants. The Fine Dining segment consists of the premium brands that operate within the fine-dining sub-segment of full-service dining and includes the results of its company-owned The Capital Grille and Eddie V's restaurants. The Other Business segment aggregates the remaining brands and includes the results of its company-owned Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, Yard House, Seasons 52 and Bahama Breeze restaurants, and from franchises and consumer-packaged goods sales. The company was founded by William B. Darden in 1938 and is headquartered in Orlando, FL.
Ctrip.Com International logo

#34 - Ctrip.Com International

NASDAQ:CTRP
Stock Price: $33.25 (-$0.32)
Market Cap: $18.39 billion
P/E Ratio: 35.4
Consensus Rating: N/A (0 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: N/A
Ctrip.com International, Ltd. operates as a travel service provider for accommodation reservation, transportation ticketing, packaged tours, and corporate travel management in China. The company acts as an agent for hotel-related transactions and selling air tickets; and provides other related services, including sale of aviation and train insurance, air-ticket delivery services, online check-in, and other value-added services, such as online seat selection, express security check, and real-time flight status. It also provides independent leisure travelers bundled packaged-tour products comprising group tours, semi-group tours, and customized and packaged tours with various transportation arrangements, such as flights, cruises, buses, and car rental services. In addition, the company offers integrated transportation and accommodation services; various value-added services, such as transportation at destinations and tickets, activities, insurance, visa services, and tour guides; and supplier management and customer relationship management services. Further, it provides its corporate clients with travel data collection and analysis, industry benchmark, cost saving analysis, and travel management solutions; and Corporate Travel Management System, an online platform that integrates information maintenance, online booking and authorization, online enquiry, and travel report system. Additionally, the company offers online advertising services. It operates primarily under the Ctrip, Qunar, Trip.com, and Skyscanner brand names. Ctrip.com International, Ltd. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Shanghai, the People's Republic of China.
Tiffany & Co. logo

#35 - Tiffany & Co.

NYSE:TIF
Stock Price: $131.46
Market Cap: $15.96 billion
P/E Ratio: 64.4
Dividend Yield: 1.76%
Consensus Rating: N/A (0 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: N/A
Tiffany & Co., through its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and retails jewelry and other items. The company offers jewelry collections, engagement rings, and wedding bands. It also sells watches, home and accessories products, and fragrances; and wholesales diamonds and earnings. The company sells its products through retail, Internet and catalog, business-to-business, and wholesale distribution channels. As of January 31, 2020, it operated 124 stores in the Americas, 91 stores in the Asia-Pacific, 58 stores in Japan, 48 stores in Europe, and 5 stores in the United Arab Emirates. Tiffany & Co. was founded in 1837 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
Best Buy logo

#36 - Best Buy

NYSE:BBY
Stock Price: $70.53 (-$2.51)
Market Cap: $15.42 billion
P/E Ratio: 11.2
Dividend Yield: 5.04%
Consensus Rating: Hold (8 Buy Ratings, 8 Hold Ratings, 1 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $80.00 (13.4% Upside)
Best Buy Co., Inc. engages in the provision of consumer technology products and services. It operates through two business segments: Domestic and International. The Domestic segment includes operations in all states, districts, and territories of the U.S., operating under various brand names, including Best Buy, Best Buy Mobile, Geek Squad, Magnolia Audio Video, Napster, and Pacific Sales. The International segment is made up of all operations outside the U.S. and its territories, including Canada, Europe, China, Mexico, and Turkey. It also markets its products under the brand names: Best Buy, bestbuy.com, Best Buy Direct, Best Buy Express, Best Buy Mobile, Geek Squad, GreatCall, Magnolia and Pacific Kitchen and Home. The company was founded by Richard M. Schulze in 1966 and is headquartered in Richfield, MN.
Builders FirstSource logo

#37 - Builders FirstSource

NASDAQ:BLDR
Stock Price: $120.24 (-$2.07)
Market Cap: $15.41 billion
P/E Ratio: 7.8
Consensus Rating: N/A (0 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: N/A
Builders FirstSource, Inc. engages in the supply and manufacture of building materials, manufactured components and construction services to professional homebuilders, subcontractors, remodelers and consumers. Its products include factory-built roof and floor trusses, wall panels and stairs, vinyl windows, custom millwork and trim, and engineered wood. The company was founded by Kevin P. O'Meara, Donald F. McAleenan and John D. Roach in March 1998 and is headquartered in Dallas, TX.
Expedia Group logo

#38 - Expedia Group

NASDAQ:EXPE
Stock Price: $96.63 (-$1.64)
Market Cap: $14.31 billion
P/E Ratio: 49.1
Consensus Rating: Hold (12 Buy Ratings, 11 Hold Ratings, 1 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $131.70 (36.3% Upside)
Expedia Group, Inc. is an online travel company, which engages in the provision of travel products and services to leisure and corporate travelers. It operates through the following segments: Retail, B2B, and Trivago. The Retail segment provides a full range of travel and advertising services to worldwide customers through a variety of consumer brands including: Expedia.com and Hotels.com. The B2B segment offers Expedia business services organization including Expedia Partner Solutions and Egencia. The Trivago segment generates advertising revenue primarily from sending referrals to online travel companies and travel service providers from its hotel metasearch websites. The company was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Seattle, WA.
CarMax logo

#39 - CarMax

NYSE:KMX
Stock Price: $71.75 (-$1.38)
Market Cap: $11.34 billion
P/E Ratio: 23.7
Consensus Rating: Hold (4 Buy Ratings, 5 Hold Ratings, 2 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $65.40 (-8.9% Upside)
CarMax, Inc. is a holding company, which engages in the retail of used vehicles and wholesale of vehicle auction operators. It operates through the CarMax Sales Operations and CarMax Auto Finance (CAF) segments. The CarMax Sales Operations segment consists of all aspects of its auto merchandising and service operations. The CAF segment pertains to its finance operation, which offers vehicle financing services to customers buying retail vehicles. The company was founded by Richard L. Sharp and William Austin Ligon in 1993 and is headquartered in Richmond, VA.
Domino

#40 - Domino's Pizza

NYSE:DPZ
Stock Price: $312.46 (+$1.10)
Market Cap: $11.04 billion
P/E Ratio: 24.1
Dividend Yield: 1.55%
Consensus Rating: Hold (9 Buy Ratings, 15 Hold Ratings, 2 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $355.27 (13.7% Upside)
Domino's Pizza, Inc. engages in the management of a network of company-owned and franchise-owned pizza stores. It operates through the following segments: U.S. Stores, International Franchise, and Supply Chain. The U.S. Stores segment consists primarily of franchise operations. The International Franchise segment comprises a network of franchised stores. The Supply Chain segment manages regional dough manufacturing and food supply chain centers. The company was founded by James Monaghan and Thomas Stephen Monaghan in 1960 and is headquartered in Ann Arbor, MI.
Burlington Stores logo

#41 - Burlington Stores

NYSE:BURL
Stock Price: $167.88 (-$8.65)
Market Cap: $10.90 billion
P/E Ratio: 47.8
Consensus Rating: Buy (14 Buy Ratings, 2 Hold Ratings, 1 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $225.94 (34.6% Upside)
Burlington Stores, Inc. engages in the retail of off-price apparel and home products. It offers women's ready-to-wear apparel, accessories, footwear, menswear, youth apparel, baby, coats, beauty, toys, and gifts. It operates through the following segments: Ladies Apparel, Accessories and Shoes, Home, Mens Apparel, Kids Apparel and Baby, and Outerwear. The company was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in Burlington, NJ.
DICK

#42 - DICK'S Sporting Goods

NYSE:DKS
Stock Price: $126.67 (-$9.24)
Market Cap: $10.85 billion
P/E Ratio: 11.8
Dividend Yield: 2.94%
Consensus Rating: Buy (14 Buy Ratings, 9 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $156.61 (23.6% Upside)
Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. engages in the retailing of an extensive assortment of authentic sports equipment, apparel, footwear, and accessories. It also offers its products both online and through mobile applications. The company was founded by Richard T. Stack in 1948 and is headquartered in Coraopolis, PA.
Five Below logo

#43 - Five Below

NASDAQ:FIVE
Stock Price: $190.21 (-$11.51)
Market Cap: $10.59 billion
P/E Ratio: 40.6
Consensus Rating: Buy (21 Buy Ratings, 3 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $210.43 (10.6% Upside)
Five Below, Inc. operates as a specialty value retailer. It operates through the following segments: Leisure, Fashion and Home, and Party and Snack. The Leisure segment includes items such as sporting goods, games, toys, tech, books, electronic accessories, and arts and crafts. The Fashion and Home segment consists of personal accessories, “attitude“ t-shirts, beauty offerings, home goods, and storage options. The Party and Snack segment offers party and seasonal goods, greeting cards, candy, and other snacks and beverages. The company was founded by David Schlessinger and Thomas G. Vellios in January 2002 and is headquartered in Philadelphia, PA.
Tapestry logo

#44 - Tapestry

NYSE:TPR
Stock Price: $43.00 (-$1.13)
Market Cap: $9.97 billion
P/E Ratio: 11.7
Dividend Yield: 2.72%
Consensus Rating: Buy (14 Buy Ratings, 3 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $48.29 (12.3% Upside)
Tapestry, Inc. engages in the provision of luxury accessories and lifestyle brands. It operates through the following segments: Coach, Kate Spade and Stuart Weitzman. The Coach segment consists of global sales of coach brand products to customers through coach operated stores, including the internet and concession shop-in-shops, and sales to wholesale customers, and through independent third party distributors. The Kate Spade segment focuses on Kate Spade New York brand products to customers through Kate Spade operated stores, including the Internet, sales to wholesale customers, through concession shop-in-shops and through independent third party distributors. The Stuart Weitzman segment comprises Stuart Weitzman brand products primarily through Stuart Weitzman operated stores. The company was founded by Dawn Hughes in 1941 and is headquartered in New York, NY.
Penske Automotive Group logo

#45 - Penske Automotive Group

NYSE:PAG
Stock Price: $139.55 (-$2.90)
Market Cap: $9.63 billion
P/E Ratio: 7.7
Dividend Yield: 1.75%
Consensus Rating: Hold (1 Buy Ratings, 1 Hold Ratings, 1 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $140.00 (0.3% Upside)
Penske Automotive Group, Inc. is an international transportation services company, which engages in the distribution of commercial vehicles, diesel engines, gas engines, power systems, and related parts and services. It operates through the following segments: Retail Automotive, Retail Commercial Truck, Non-Automotive Investments, and Other. The Retail Automotive segment includes retail automotive dealership operations. The Retail Commercial Truck segment includes the dealership operations of commercial trucks in the U.S. and Canada. The Other segment focuses on the commercial vehicle and power systems distribution operation, and other non-automotive consolidated operations. The Non-Automotive Investments segment includes equity method investments in non-automotive operations. The company was founded in October 1992 and is headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, MI.
Performance Food Group logo

#46 - Performance Food Group

NYSE:PFGC
Stock Price: $57.20 (-$0.78)
Market Cap: $8.93 billion
P/E Ratio: 27.5
Consensus Rating: Buy (10 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $73.00 (27.6% Upside)
Performance Food Group Co. engages in the market and distribution of food products. It operates through the following segments: Foodservice, Vistar, & Convenience. The Foodservices segment delivers food and food-related products to independent restaurants, chain restaurants, and other institutional food-away-from-home locations. The Vistar segment offers candy, snack, and beverage to customers in the vending, office coffee services, theater, retail, and other channels. The Convenience segment consists of a range of products, marketing programs and technology solutions to locations in the United States and Canada. The company was founded in 1885 and is headquartered in Richmond, VA.
Match Group logo

#47 - Match Group

NASDAQ:MTCH
Stock Price: $31.84 (-$0.18)
Market Cap: $8.87 billion
P/E Ratio: 30.3
Consensus Rating: Buy (17 Buy Ratings, 7 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $59.14 (85.7% Upside)
Match Group, Inc. engages in the provision of dating products. It operates under the brand name Tinder, Match, Meetic, OkCupid, Hinge, Pairs, PlentyOfFish, and OurTime. The company was founded on February 12, 2009 and is headquartered in Dallas, TX.
Dunkin

#48 - Dunkin' Brands Group

NASDAQ:DNKN
Stock Price: $106.48
Market Cap: $8.78 billion
P/E Ratio: 40.2
Dividend Yield: 1.51%
Consensus Rating: N/A (0 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: N/A
Dunkin' Brands Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, franchises and licenses quick service restaurants in the United States and internationally. The company operates through five segments: Dunkin' U.S., Dunkin' International, Baskin-Robbins International, Baskin-Robbins U.S., and U.S. Advertising Funds. Its restaurants serve hot and cold coffee, baked goods, and hard serve ice cream. The company franchises its restaurants under the Dunkin' and Baskin-Robbins brands. It also licenses Dunkin' brand products sold in retail outlets, such as retail packaged coffee, Dunkin' K-Cup pods, and ready-to-drink bottled iced coffee; and distributes Baskin-Robbins ice cream products to international markets for sale in Baskin-Robbins restaurants and other retail outlets. As of December 28, 2019, it had 13,137 Dunkin' restaurants and 8,160 Baskin-Robbins restaurants. Dunkin' Brands Group, Inc. is headquartered in Canton, Massachusetts.
Casey

#49 - Casey's General Stores

NASDAQ:CASY
Stock Price: $229.16 (+$0.12)
Market Cap: $8.54 billion
P/E Ratio: 19.0
Dividend Yield: 0.66%
Consensus Rating: Buy (7 Buy Ratings, 3 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $260.50 (13.7% Upside)
Casey's General Stores, Inc. engages in the management and operation of convenience stores and gasoline stations. It provides self-service gasoline, a wide selection of grocery items and an array of freshly prepared food items. The firm offers food, beverages, tobacco products, health and beauty aids, automotive products, and other non-food items. The company was founded by Donald F. Lamberti in 1959 and is headquartered in Ankeny, IA.
Bath & Body Works logo

#50 - Bath & Body Works

NYSE:BBWI
Stock Price: $37.03 (-$0.64)
Market Cap: $8.47 billion
P/E Ratio: 11.7
Dividend Yield: 2.12%
Consensus Rating: Hold (10 Buy Ratings, 9 Hold Ratings, 1 Sell Ratings)
Consensus Price Target: $46.45 (25.4% Upside)
Bath & Body Works, Inc. is a specialty retailers and home to America's Favorite Fragrances, offering a breadth of exclusive fragrances for the body and home, including the selling collections for fine fragrance mist, body lotion and body cream, 3-wick candles, home fragrance diffusers and liquid hand soap. The company was founded by Leslie Herbert Wexner in 1963 and is headquartered in Columbus, OH.
Why Invest in Retail Stocks

Retail stocks refer to individual shares of companies that sell retail goods. It's easy to think up a laundry list of department stores or big box stores — Dillard's, Best Buy, Costco — the list is endless. (Just consider all of the places where you shop.) 

However, when on the hunt for retail stocks, it's easy to get caught up in a decision to purchase a retail stock just because you enjoy shopping there or know that "a lot of people" shop there. As any experienced investor will tell you, there's more to it than simply choosing a brand you admire. 

In this article, we'll take a look at retail stocks during inflationary times, why a particular retail stock may make a good investment, when they do well, the stock performance of some top retail stocks, how to invest in retail stocks and retail stock ETFs and index funds you may want to consider adding to your list.

Let's dive in. 

The all items index increased 8.5% at the end of July, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The all items less food and energy index rose 5.9% over the past year, the energy index increased 32.9% and the food index increased 10.9% over the past year, the largest 12-month increase since May of 1979.

You may have heard that during inflationary times, oil and energy stocks are some of the best stocks you can invest in because the demand for oil and gas remains high no matter what the economy is doing. However, certain retailers have combated unique supply chain issue challenges and pressure to drive prices higher by taking action, such as building more stores in new locations and/or boosting sales at current stores, reflect consumer purchase behavior, effectively address supply chain issues, address pricing and focus on value to consumers, develop brand, enhance operation productivity and more.

Sifting through the right retail stocks might yield certain companies that have advantages over competitors, but it's important to review which companies have the strongest responses during inflationary periods.

The pandemic changed the landscape of retail investment, benefiting some retailers and leaving others completely in shreds. E-commerce became even more prevalent once people stopped going to stores and spent money on home improvement and video games instead of earmarking money for travel or social activities.

Retailers have also faced excess inventory due to rising inflation, mostly due to cutbacks by consumers. The aftereffects of the pandemic paved the way for online suppliers and unfortunately, for many retailers, they no longer hold customers in the palm of their hand like they did, say, in the 1990s. Retailers who can differentiate themselves often end up thriving the most.

However, it's possible to find good retail stocks by identifying key metrics that show proof strength. We'll go over key indicators of strength in the next section.

Identifying the right retail stocks can seem like tangling with the Bermuda Triangle during challenging economic times. However, it's a good idea to consider food retailers in times of economic stress — and just about any other time as well. The logic makes sense: People still have to eat, and during stressful economic periods, consumers tend to stay home and bake, saute and grill their own meals.

Therefore, grocery retailers like the following:

  • Walmart 
  • Amazon
  • Costco Wholesale
  • Kroger
  • Walgreens Boots Alliance
  • Target
  • CVS Health
  • Albertsons 
  • Publix

However, you can take a look at sales growth, earnings growth, performance during specific times of the year, physical stores, e-commerce strength and balance sheet strength. Let's take a look at each of these important factors.

  • Sales growth: How well has a company you're looking at generated revenue? How has it been calibrated from year to year? Check into a company's competitors as well as the sales growth between both companies before you buy stock in either.
  • Earnings growth: How much can companies compel loyal consumers to keep coming back, even when prices nip higher? For example, some of the best retail brands with a brand following include Apple, IKEA, Walmart, Nike, Sephora, Starbucks, Lululemon, etc. (You can probably add to your own list. What brands will you support, no matter what?) Top retail companies can show proof of earnings growth and can support that growth by raising their prices. However, you can use several metrics to measure earnings growth. For example, consider using the price/earnings to growth ratio (PEG ratio) — a stock's price/earnings ratio (P/E ratio) divided by its percentage growth rate, which shows a stock's price relative to its earnings performance.
  • Performance over specific quarters: Many retailers hit specific metrics during certain points of the year, such as during the holiday season, the back-to-school period or in the spring, summer or fall. Performance during key times of the year, particularly among competitors, can affect how specific key performance indicators stack up during these seasonal periods.
  • Physical stores: How large is the store network and how well does the company work to maintain these physical locations? A company's holdings can determine its overall value, but it's worth noting how well the company maintains its physical locations in terms of sales strength. 
  • E-commerce: There's no doubt that brick-and-mortar locations still have their place, but e-commerce in many ways has taken the place of brick-and-mortar locations. Has a store restructured its physical space or made the in-store shopping experience more convenient? When so many competitors offer amenities like in-store pickup and local delivery, the absence of a strong online presence can foreshadow a withering brand.
  • Balance sheet strength: Arguably one of the most important factors to evaluate is balance sheet strength by checking into a company's working capital, debt versus equity and other factors. The ultimate goal is to determine the solvency, liquidity and complete financial profile of a company.

Ultimately, making a blanket statement that "all retail stocks do well" or "all retail stocks do poorly" during particular times of the year or during specific economic cycles is impossible because it depends on the specific company you're evaluating. However, certain types of retail companies may do better than others based on a wide variety of factors.

Retail sales increased 8.4% over the past year, a total of 18% above pre-pandemic figures, according to Reuters. These figures beat economist expectations, who said retail sales would increase only 0.8%.

For example, the following increases occurred:

  • Auto dealerships: 0.8%. 
  • Sales at service stations: 3.6%.
  • Bars and restaurants: 1%
  • Online store sales: 2.2%

Furniture and electronics and appliance retailers, sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, and book stores increased but clothing retailers sales, as well as those at building material, garden equipment, and supplies stores, fell. 

Let's take a look at three top retail stock examples prior to choosing the right investments for your portfolio. 

An obvious choice, Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), retails consumer products and subscriptions all over the world. The company sells merchandise and content purchased for resale from third-party sellers and sells electronic devices, offers Kindle Direct Publishing and develops and produces media content, allowing others to publish and sell content. The company also offers analytics, machine learning, fulfillment, advertising, publishing and digital content subscriptions. Its membership feature also allows movie streaming and other services. 

The Home Depot Inc. (NYSE: HD), a home improvement retailer, sells the following: 

  • Building materials
  • Home improvement products
  • Lawn and garden products
  • Décor products
  • Facilities maintenance, repair and operations products 
  • Installation services
  • Tool and equipment rental services

It maintains homedepot.com, blinds.com and thecompanystore.com, an online site for textiles and décor products. 

Lululemon, stylized lululemon athletica inc. (NASDAQ: LULU), retails athletic apparel and accessories for women and men, such as shorts and leggings, tops and jackets, and other fitness-related accessories and footwear. 

The company maintains and operates the following:

  • Outlets
  • Warehouses
  • Interactive workout platforms
  • Yoga studios
  • Health clubs
  • Fitness centers

Let's take a comprehensive look at how you may want to approach investing in retail stocks.

Analyzing key metrics can help you decide whether to invest in a particular stock and can also help you identify any red flags you may run into as you choose your investments. You may want to take a look at dividend yield, the dividend payout ratio, earnings per share and price-to-earnings ratio, for example. Let's take a look at each: 

  • Dividend yield: If the company pays dividends, the dividend yield lets you know the percentage of a share price a company kicks back to investors in the form of dividends. You can find the dividend share price by taking dividends per share divided by the current share price. In other words, let's say a company offers $2 in dividends per year and the stock costs $60 per share. In this case, the dividend yield is 3%. Higher-yield dividends can be risky, so watch for dividends that seem to offer a much higher dividend yield than competitors.
  • Dividend payout ratio: The dividend payout ratio refers to the percentage of a company's earnings paid out as dividends. The lower the payout ratio, the more sustainable the dividend will be. If a company offers a dividend, you'll want to make sure that you'll keep raking in dividend profits for the long term instead of suffering a dry spell after a year or two. For example, let's say a company earns $1 million and issues $50,000 in dividends. In this case the payout ratio would be $50,000 / $1 million = 5%. 
  • Earnings per share (EPS): EPS shows how many outstanding shares of stock a company has by taking the company's quarterly or annual net income and dividing by the number of outstanding shares of stock it owns.
  • Price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio: The price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio helps show you whether a company is fairly valued. You can divide a company's share price by its earnings per share to find its P/E ratio.

There are other metrics you can use to determine whether a particular stock makes sense for your particular investment needs. Make sure you determine ahead of time the type of company that makes sense for your risk tolerance and future goals.

Do you have a brokerage account? If you don't already have a brokerage account, choose the right type of brokerage for you and fund your account. Consider choosing a robo-advisor, an AI-operated brokerage that eliminates the need for human interaction. You may also consider choosing a full-service stockbroker or a financial advisor who can meet with you in person and will help you choose your investments. You can also buy stock directly from the company in some cases. Take a look at the fees involved, the platform that the robo-advisor uses (if you choose to go that route) and other things that you believe you need in order to successfully invest. 

Once you take a few minutes to set up your brokerage account, choose the number of shares you want to purchase and buy. Again, make sure that you choose the right investments that meet your goals and timeline for investment. Also consider diversifying, which means that you spread around the type and number of investments you purchase. Consider reinvesting on a regular basis, such as on a monthly basis, in order to maximize your investment potential. 

If you're looking for automatic diversification, you may want to consider an exchange-traded fund (ETF). An ETF works like a mutual fund (a pooled investment) but can be traded at any point during the trading day, like a stock. Take a look at the following retail stock ETFs:

  • Amplify Online Retail ETF (NYSEARCA: IBUY): The Amplify Online Retail ETF contains a wide variety of retail holdings, including the Booking Holdings Inc. Shutterstock Inc. CarParts.com Inc. BigCommerce Holdings Inc. The company contains a mix of retail and e-commerce stores and has a wide variety of diversification to boot, including big players and smaller caps as well.
  • SPDR S&P Retail ETF (NYSEARCA: XRT): The SPDR S&P Retail ETF contains a wide variety of retail stores, including the well-known Carvana Co., Rite Aid Corporation, Chewy Inc., Etsy Inc., Dick's Sporting Goods Inc. and Wayfair Inc. and somewhat lesser-known companies like National Vision Holdings Inc. and EVgo Inc. 

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