BJ

A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Ollie's Bargain Outlet (OLLI). Shares have lost about 0.4% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500. But investors have to be wondering, will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Ollie's Bargain Outlet due for a breakout? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers. Ollie’s Bargain delivered first-quarter fiscal 2026 results, wherein net sales fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate, while earnings beat the same. Both top and bottom lines increased year over year, driven by new store growth, positive comparable-store sales, margin expansion and disciplined expense management. Management raised its fiscal 2026 earnings outlook following the stronger-than-expected performance. The company’s value-focused business model continued to resonate with consumers against an uncertain macroeconomic backdrop. During the quarter, Ollie’s opened 27 new stores and ended the period with 672 stores across 35 states, reflecting 15.1% year-over-year growth. The Ollie’s Army loyalty program expanded 12.6% to 17.5 million members, highlighting continued customer engagement and acquisition. Ollie’s Bargain reported adjusted earnings of 91 cents per share, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 87 cents by 4.6%. The figure increased 21.3% from adjusted earnings of 75 cents reported in the year-ago quarter.Net sales rose 14.2% year over year to $658.9 million, driven by new store openings and positive comparable-store sales growth. However, revenues narrowly missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $666 million. Comparable-store sales increased 1.7%, supported primarily by higher basket size. Food, general merchandise, hardware, seasonal décor and stationery were among the top-performing categories during the quarter, while weather-sensitive categories such as lawn and garden and summer furniture lagged due to unfavorable weather conditions. Management noted that sales trends remained positive throughout the quarter, though elevated fuel prices and unseasonable weather affected customer traffic, particularly in southern markets. The company also highlighted continued strength in trade-down behavior among higher-income consumers...

Since January 2026, BJ's has been in a holding pattern, posting a small loss of 4.7% while floating around $88.75. The stock also fell short of the S&P 500’s 8.4% gain during that period. Is now the time to buy BJ's, or should you be careful about including it in your portfolio? Check out our in-depth research report to see what our analysts have to say, it’s free. We’re swiping left on BJ's for now. Here are three reasons you should be careful with BJ, plus one stock we’d rather own. Reviewing a company’s long-term sales performance reveals insights into its quality. Any business can put up a good quarter or two, but many enduring ones grow for years. Regrettably, BJ’s sales grew at a sluggish 4% compounded annual growth rate over the last three years. This was below our standard for the consumer retail sector. We prefer higher gross margins because they not only make it easier to generate more operating profits but also indicate product differentiation, negotiating leverage, and pricing power. BJ's has bad unit economics for a retailer, signaling it operates in a competitive market and lacks pricing power because its inventory is sold in many places. As you can see below, it averaged a 18.5% gross margin over the last two years. That means BJ's paid its suppliers a lot of money ($81.48 for every $100 in revenue) to run its business. Operating margin is a key measure of profitability. Think of it as net income - the bottom line - excluding the impact of taxes and interest on debt, which are less connected to business fundamentals. BJ’s operating margin has more or less stayed the same over the last 12 months , averaging 3.8% over the last two years. This profitability was lousy for a consumer retail business and caused by its suboptimal cost structureand low gross margin. BJ's isn’t a terrible business, but it isn’t one of our picks. With its shares underperforming the market lately, the stock trades at 18.7× forward P/E (or $88.75 per share). While this valuation is fair, the upside isn’t great compared to the potential downside. We’re fairly confident there are better investments elsewhere. We’d suggest looking at one of our all-time favorite software stocks. WHILE YOU’RE HERE: Top 9 Market-Beating Stocks. The best stocks don’t just beat the market once. They do it again. And again. Robust revenue growth, rising free cash flow, returns on capital that lea...

Costco Wholesale Corporation COST continues to demonstrate that its membership model remains one of the strongest drivers of profitability. The biggest opportunity lies in expanding the executive membership base rather than simply adding more members. While total paid memberships increased 4.1% year over year to 82.9 million during the third quarter of fiscal 2026, executive memberships climbed a much faster 9.6%, reflecting stronger adoption of the premium tier. This trend matters because executive members typically shop more often, spend more during each visit and generate higher recurring membership income, creating a more attractive earnings mix.Management highlighted that membership fee income rose 10.7% year over year to $1,373 million, with part of the improvement coming from the September 2024 fee increase. Excluding the fee increase and foreign exchange, membership income still advanced 7%, driven by membership growth and continued upgrades into executive memberships. Costco ended the quarter with 41.2 million paid executive memberships. Executive members accounted for 75% of worldwide sales. The company also launched the executive program in China during the quarter and described early adoption as stronger than expected, creating another avenue for premium membership expansion.Management also noted that executive growth is being supported by both existing Gold Star members upgrading and new customers choosing the premium tier from the outset. Enhanced benefits, including extended warehouse hours and Instacart incentives, are encouraging higher adoption. Continued penetration of executive members has the potential to steadily strengthen Costco's earnings profile through richer membership income and higher member engagement. Costco is not the only retailer benefiting from a stronger membership ecosystem. Walmart Inc. WMT continues to deepen engagement through Walmart+, with membership fee revenues rising 17.4% globally in the first quarter of fiscal 2027 and Walmart+ recording a record level of net additions. Management noted that membership has become an increasingly important profit stream, with members spending significantly more than non-members and utilizing benefits such as fuel savings and faster delivery.BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. BJ reported robust membership trends. Membership fee income increased 9.9% year over year to a record $13...

Let’s dig into the relative performance of BJ's (NYSE:BJ) and its peers as we unravel the now-completed Q1 large-format grocery & general merchandise retailer earnings season. Big-box retailers operate large stores that sell groceries and general merchandise at highly competitive prices. Because of their scale and resulting purchasing power, these big-box retailers–with annual sales in the tens to hundreds of billions of dollars–are able to get attractive volume discounts and sell at often the lowest prices. While e-commerce is a threat, these retailers have been able to weather the storm by either providing a unique in-store shopping experience or by reinvesting their hefty profits into omnichannel investments. The 4 large-format grocery & general merchandise retailer stocks we track reported a strong Q1. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 2.7% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was 0.9% below. While some large-format grocery & general merchandise retailer stocks have fared somewhat better than others, they have collectively declined. On average, share prices are down 2.8% since the latest earnings results. Appealing to the budget-conscious individual shopping for a household, BJ’s Wholesale Club (NYSE:BJ) is a membership-only retail chain that sells groceries, appliances, electronics, and household items, often in bulk quantities. BJ's reported revenues of $5.66 billion, up 9.9% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 4.2%. Overall, it was a strong quarter for the company with an impressive beat of analysts’ revenue and EPS estimates. “We delivered a strong first quarter as our value proposition continued to resonate with members across our clubs and at our gas stations. Momentum in membership, fuel and digital sales reflects the disciplined execution of our teams and our focus on delivering value and convenience for the families who depend on us,” said Bob Eddy, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, BJ’s Wholesale Club. BJ's achieved the biggest analyst estimate beat of the whole group. Investor expectations, however, were likely higher than Wall Street’s published projections, leaving some wishing for even better results (analysts’ consensus estimates are those published by big banks and advisory firms, not the investors who make buy and sell decisions). The stock is down 1.9% since reporting and currently t...

Interested in Costco Wholesale Corporation? Here are five stocks we like better. Costco reported record fiscal Q3 2026 revenue of $70.53 billion and a 13% dividend increase, but shares fell 4% the following day. Headline same-store sales growth of 9.8% dropped to 6.6% when adjusted for gas and currency effects, dampening the apparent strength of the results. Trading around 47x forward earnings near all-time highs, Costco's premium valuation leaves little room for anything short of a blowout earnings report. Costco Wholesale Corp. (NASDAQ: COST) reported its fiscal Q3 2026 results after the market closed on May 28, and at first glance, it appears the company produced another stellar quarter. But the market reaction following the report was muted. The stock was down 4% shortly after the opening bell the next day, which seems underwhelming for a company that posted record revenue and has a potential tariff refund catalyst on the horizon. → Salesforce Stock Finds Support as AI Momentum Builds As always, a deeper dive into the numbers reveals the reason for the reaction. While Costco’s long-term growth story remains intact, it's becoming more difficult to justify paying 50x earnings for the stock. First, the good news. → Apple’s Agentic AI Plans Could Be Its Biggest Growth Story Yet Costco announced record revenue in fiscal Q3 2026, reporting $69.15 billion in sales and total revenue of $70.53 billion when including membership fees, which beat the $69.68 billion consensus. Earnings per share (EPS) of $4.93 was slightly under the anticipated $4.98 from analysts. Overall membership growth was up 4.1%, and the executive tier premium plan now boasts 41.2 million members. Membership fees are the true engine of Costco’s margin growth, so these figures need to keep rising to offset merchandise and fuel costs. → Meta's Manus Mess: Why China Blocked the Deal and What It Means Same-store sales, a key metric that strips out growth from new store openings, increased 9.8% year-over-year (YOY), the company’s highest figure in over two years. The Iran war, which has pushed gasoline prices to multi-year highs, drove much of the increase in memberships and same-store sales. Wholesale club retailers like Costco and BJ’s Wholesale Club Holdings Inc. (NYSE: BJ) are often beneficiaries of gas price spikes since they mark their prices between 10 and 30 cents lower than independent gas...

BJ’s Wholesale Club’s first quarter performance saw revenue and profit exceed Wall Street expectations, yet the market responded negatively, likely reflecting investor concerns about margin pressures and the broader consumer environment. Management attributed the strong sales growth to robust membership acquisition and retention, particularly among higher-income households, as well as outsized traffic driven by increased fuel purchases. CEO Bob Eddy pointed out that “the vast majority of our comparable sales growth was driven by our higher income members, who remain engaged and continue to shop with us consistently.” BJ’s also benefited from its aggressive expansion into new markets like Texas and continued momentum in digitally enabled sales channels. Is now the time to buy BJ? Find out in our full research report (it’s free). Revenue: $5.66 billion vs analyst estimates of $5.43 billion (9.9% year-on-year growth, 4.2% beat) Adjusted EPS: $1.10 vs analyst estimates of $1.03 (6.7% beat) Adjusted EBITDA: $284.4 million vs analyst estimates of $281.3 million (5% margin, 1.1% beat) Management reiterated its full-year Adjusted EPS guidance of $4.50 at the midpoint Operating Margin: 3.7%, in line with the same quarter last year Locations: 264 at quarter end, up from 255 in the same quarter last year Same-Store Sales rose 6.3% year on year (1.6% in the same quarter last year) Market Capitalization: $10.98 billion While we enjoy listening to the management’s commentary, our favorite part of earnings calls is the analyst questions. Those are unscripted and can often highlight topics that management teams would rather avoid or topics where the answer is complicated. Here is what has caught our attention. Peter Benedict (Baird) asked about the impact of price investments and tariff refunds on merchandise margins. CEO Bob Eddy said the company will continue to prioritize member value using any available resources, including future tariff refunds. Katharine McShane (Goldman Sachs) inquired about the profile of new members in Texas and higher-tier penetration. Executive Vice President Bill Werner highlighted strong initial engagement and ExpressPay adoption, stating Texas clubs are “the best openings in the company history.” Simeon Gutman (Morgan Stanley) questioned the relationship between increased gas trips and club visits. Eddy responded that gas traffic was up signif...

BJ’s Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. BJ used its first-quarter fiscal 2026 call to underscore a more aggressive value posture. Management made clear it is willing to reinvest tariff-related benefits and other gains into lower prices to reinforce member loyalty and support share gains. That stance came with a steady full-year outlook and strong early signs from Texas. The call mattered less for the reported quarter alone than for how executives framed pricing, expansion and customer behavior in a still uneven consumer backdrop. Robert Eddy, chairman and chief executive officer, said the company used tariff refunds as a source of funds to invest back into member pricing. He tied that move to a broader goal of widening price gaps and leaning into value while household budgets remain under pressure. That message shaped the quarter’s operating context. Comparable club sales rose 6.3%, while comparable club sales excluding gasoline increased 1.5%, showing the business still advanced even as management chose to pressure merchandise margin in support of value. The reported figures were mixed against Wall Street expectations. BJ posted adjusted earnings per share of $1.10 versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.04, a 5.36% surprise. Revenue of $5.53 billion was slightly above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.44 billion, representing a 1.73% beat. BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. Quote Eddy described membership as the foundation of the model, and the quarter reinforced that view. Membership fee income rose 9.9% year over year to $132.4 million, supported by acquisition, retention and higher-tier penetration across both new and existing clubs. Laura Felice, executive vice president and chief financial officer, said total members reached an all-time high. She also said membership fee income growth should moderate later in the year as the company laps last year’s fee increase, but she kept emphasizing the underlying health of the base. Management also added an important nuance on the consumer. Eddy said the vast majority of comparable sales growth came from higher-income members, while lower-income households remained more pressured, keeping value at the center of the company’s member proposition. Fuel was one of the clearest traffic and value drivers in the quarter. Eddy said comp gallon growth...

BJ’s Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. BJ delivered first-quarter fiscal 2026 results, wherein the top and bottom lines beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Results reflected strong membership trends, robust fuel demand, accelerating digital engagement and continued traffic growth. Management highlighted momentum in higher-tier memberships, strength in newly opened clubs and continued market-share gains, particularly in fuel and digitally enabled sales. BJ’s Wholesale Club reported adjusted earnings of $1.10 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.04. However, the metric declined 3.5% from the year-ago quarter due to lapping a prior-year tax benefit tied to stock-based compensation.This operator of membership warehouse clubs generated total revenues of $5,661.5 million, which increased 9.9% year over year and surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5,435 million. Net sales climbed 9.9% to $5,529.1 million, while membership fee income rose 9.9% to $132.4 million, driven by strong member acquisition, retention and higher-tier membership penetration. We had expected membership fee income growth of 7%.Total comparable club sales increased 6.3% year over year in the reported quarter. Excluding gasoline sales, comparable club sales improved 1.5%, reflecting healthy merchandise demand and traffic growth. However, it came below our estimate of 1.7% growth. Digitally enabled comparable sales jumped 28%, following two-year stacked growth of 63%, supported by higher adoption of curbside pickup, same-day delivery and ExpressPay services.Management noted that fuel volumes remained particularly strong during the quarter, with comparable gasoline gallons increasing nearly 8%, significantly outperforming the broader market. The company also highlighted positive traffic growth and market-share gains across its business. BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. Quote Gross profit increased to $1.03 billion in the first quarter from $969.5 million in the year-ago period. However, the merchandise gross margin rate, excluding gasoline sales and membership fee income, declined nearly 10 basis points year over year. The decrease was primarily due to continued investments in pricing, partially offset by tariff refund benefits recognized during the quarter.Operating income rose 2.1% year over year to $20...

BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) reported better-than-expected fiscal first-quarter results on Friday, while

This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Net Sales: Increased nearly 10% year over year to $5.5 billion. Total Comparable Club Sales: Increased 6.3%. Merchandise Comparable Sales: Increased 1.5% excluding gasoline. Membership Fee Income: Increased approximately 10% to $132 million. Merchandise Gross Margin: Decreased approximately 10 basis points year over year. SG&A Expense: Approximately $806 million, improved as a percentage of net sales year over year. Fuel Volumes: Comparable gallons up nearly 8%. Adjusted EBITDA: Increased approximately 4% year over year to $298 million. Adjusted Earnings Per Share: $1.10, down year over year. Inventory Levels: Increased 6.5% year over year in absolute terms. Share Repurchase: Approximately $207 million of shares repurchased during the quarter. Net Leverage: Remains low, providing flexibility for growth investments. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 3 Warning Sign with IMPP. Is BJ fairly valued? Test your thesis with our free DCF calculator. Release Date: May 22, 2026 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings Inc (NYSE:BJ) reported a nearly 10% year-over-year increase in net sales, showcasing strong growth. Membership fee income increased approximately 10% to $132 million, reaching an all-time high, driven by strong acquisition, retention, and higher tier penetration. The company's expansion efforts, particularly in Texas, are off to a strong start, with membership in Texas clubs running 33% ahead of plan. Digitally enabled comparable sales increased 28% year over year, reflecting growing adoption of tools like curbside pickup, same-day delivery, and ExpressPay. BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings Inc (NYSE:BJ) continues to make disciplined progress in expanding its footprint, with plans to open 26 new clubs over a two-year period. Gas prices increased dramatically during the quarter, putting additional pressure on member wallets and affecting consumer behavior. Merchandise gross margin decreased approximately 10 basis points year over year, primarily due to investments in price. The company noted a more pressured environment for lower-income households, with elevated costs weighing heavily on this segment. Perishables experienced a light comp this quarter, primarily driven by egg deflation, impacting overall performance in this category. B...

For the quarter ended April 2026, BJ's Wholesale Club (BJ) reported revenue of $5.53 billion, up 7.3% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $1.10, compared to $1.14 in the year-ago quarter. The reported revenue represents a surprise of +1.73% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.44 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $1.04, the EPS surprise was +5.36%. While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance. As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately. Here is how BJ's performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts: Comparable club sales, excluding gasoline sales: 1.5% versus the six-analyst average estimate of 1.7%. Warehouse Club: 267 versus the five-analyst average estimate of 266. Comparable club sales: 6.3% versus the four-analyst average estimate of 1.9%. Gas Stations: 205 versus 201 estimated by two analysts on average. Revenues- Net sales: $5.53 billion compared to the $5.27 billion average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of +9.9% year over year. Revenues- Membership fee income: $132.36 million versus $131.86 million estimated by five analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +9.9% change. View all Key Company Metrics for BJ's here>>> Shares of BJ's have returned -2.6% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +5.5% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term. Want 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 BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. (BJ) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Our analysts just identified a stock with the potential to be the next Nvidia. Tell us how you invest and we'll show you why it's our #1 pick. Tap here. Performance was anchored by record membership fee income of $132 million, driven by strong acquisition and higher-tier penetration which yields greater lifetime value. The gas business served as a critical value proof point, with comparable gallon growth accelerating to over 10% in March and April as members sought relief from rising pump prices. Management attributed the 1.5% merchandise comp growth to consistent execution in perishables and grocery, despite significant deflationary pressure from egg prices. Strategic price investments were funded by returning tariff refunds to members, resulting in improved price gaps and roughly 0.5 points of retail price deflation. The Texas market entry represents a successful high-growth pivot, with initial membership sign-ups running 33% ahead of internal projections. Digital adoption remains a key convenience driver, with 28% growth in digitally enabled sales supported by tools like curbside pickup and ExpressPay. Full-year guidance is maintained with comparable club sales (ex-gas) expected to grow 2% to 3% and adjusted EPS between $4.40 and $4.60. Management expects membership fee income growth to moderate in the coming quarters as the company laps the prior year's fee increase. The expansion strategy remains aggressive with 12 new clubs planned for this year and a target to continue at a similar pace through 2027 and 2028. Guidance assumes that elevated fuel and freight costs will persist, potentially acting as a broader inflationary headwind for the remainder of the fiscal year. Merchandise margins are expected to face easier year-over-year comparisons as the company progresses through the back half of the year. A one-time tariff refund benefit of approximately $20 million (50 basis points of merch margin) was recognized and largely reinvested into member pricing. Lower-income households are showing increased signs of financial pressure, with the vast majority of comparable sales growth currently driven by higher-income cohorts. Gas price volatility reached extreme levels, with average daily cost changes in the last two months being 2.5x the five-year historical average. Inventory per club increased 2.8%, primarily reflecting the stocking requirements for new club...