Analysts Forecast 11% Growth Potential for SUSA
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Aug 18 2025
0mins
Should l Buy COST?
Source: NASDAQ.COM
ETF Performance Analysis: The iShares ESG Optimized MSCI USA ETF (SUSA) has an implied analyst target price of $144.73, indicating a potential upside of 10.77% from its current trading price of $130.66.
Notable Holdings with Upside: Key underlying holdings in SUSA include Molina Healthcare Inc (MOH), Cisco Systems Inc (CSCO), and Costco Wholesale Corp (COST), each showing significant upside potential based on analyst target prices.
Analyst Target Comparisons: MOH's average target is $195.36 (16.64% upside), CSCO's is $75.06 (13.38% upside), and COST's is $1092.44 (12.39% upside) compared to their recent trading prices.
Investor Considerations: Questions arise regarding the validity of analysts' targets and whether they reflect realistic expectations or are overly optimistic, necessitating further research by investors.
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Analyst Views on COST
Wall Street analysts forecast COST stock price to rise
24 Analyst Rating
19 Buy
4 Hold
1 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 965.730
Low
769.00
Averages
1061
High
1205
Current: 965.730
Low
769.00
Averages
1061
High
1205
About COST
Costco Wholesale Corporation (Costco) operates membership warehouses and e-commerce sites that offer a selection of nationally branded and private-label products in a wide range of categories. The Company buys the majority of its merchandise directly from suppliers and route it to cross-docking consolidation points (depots) or directly to its warehouses. It operates 891 warehouses, including 614 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 108 in Canada, 40 in Mexico, 35 in Japan, 29 in the United Kingdom, 19 in Korea, 15 in Australia, 14 in Taiwan, seven in China, five in Spain, two in France, and one each in Iceland, New Zealand and Sweden. It also operates e-commerce sites in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Australia. The Company provides wide selection of merchandise, plus the convenience of specialty departments and exclusive member services.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Product Launch: Costco's Kirkland Signature brand has introduced a new 'Sparkling Energy Drink' that closely resembles Celsius in can size, caffeine content, and flavors, potentially exerting short-term pressure on Celsius's market performance.
- Stock Volatility: Following the launch of the new drink, Celsius Holdings saw its shares drop by 7%, indicating market sensitivity to new competitive products, although analysts believe that long-term sales will not be significantly impacted.
- Retail Investor Sentiment: According to Stocktwits data, retail investor chatter around Celsius surged by 4200% in the past 24 hours, reflecting a significant increase in investor interest, with sentiment shifting from 'neutral' to 'extremely bullish'.
- Analyst Ratings Remain Positive: Despite the new competition, Stifel maintains a 'Buy' rating on Celsius, with 18 out of 22 analysts covering CELH stock rating it 'Buy' or higher, indicating strong market confidence in Celsius's future growth prospects.
See More
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- Stock Rebound: Costco (COST) shares rose 0.8% to $973.68 on Tuesday, breaking a six-session losing streak, although the stock is down 1% over the past month, it has gained over 12% year-to-date, indicating resilience compared to the broader market.
- New Business Expansion: The company plans to open its first standalone gas station in Mission Viejo, California, in June, which is expected to enhance its service network and potentially attract more members, further driving sales growth.
- Profitability Analysis: According to Seeking Alpha, Costco delivers superior revenue and net income per employee, with higher ROE and top-line growth, making it more attractive for long-term investors despite similar forward P/E multiples due to its higher growth potential.
- Analyst Ratings: On Wall Street, 23 analysts rated Costco as Buy or better, while 12 recommended Hold and two suggested Strong Sell, reflecting a divergence in market sentiment regarding its future performance.
See More
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- Retail Struggles: Since the end of the pandemic, Target's stock has plummeted 30% and is down over 50% from its all-time peak, reflecting vulnerabilities amid theft, inflation, and stiff competition.
- New CEO's Strategy: New CEO Michael Fiddelke has quickly implemented strategies, including the upcoming Target Circle Deal Days from March 25-27, which will offer discounts of up to 40% to regain customer trust.
- Loyalty Program Enhancement: The introduction of Target Circle aims not only to attract customers back but also to increase membership by offering a 15% discount on one shopping trip, thereby enhancing customer loyalty and improving sales performance.
- Future Outlook: Despite Target's comparable sales decline over the last four quarters, Fiddelke's goal is to achieve sales growth, and if the company raises its sales guidance, it could signal a buy opportunity for investors, indicating the turnaround is taking effect.
See More
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- Performance Recovery Signal: Under new CEO Michael Fiddelke, Target's stock has risen 18% year-to-date, reflecting investor confidence in the company's turnaround potential, despite lackluster fourth-quarter results that lay a foundation for future growth.
- Promotional Launch: Target's Circle Deal Days promotion, scheduled for March 25-27, offers discounts of 40% or more, aimed at attracting customers and increasing participation in the Target Circle loyalty program, thereby enhancing customer loyalty and sales.
- Competitive Market Pressure: Despite facing fierce competition from Walmart, Costco, and Amazon, and a decline in comparable store sales over the last four quarters, Fiddelke's strategy focuses on improving in-store experiences and enhancing customer service to reverse this trend.
- Future Growth Expectations: Target's guidance for a mere 2% net sales growth this year suggests a low bar for improvement; if management raises this guidance, it would signal a successful turnaround, boosting investor confidence and potentially driving stock price increases.
See More
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- Energy Price Impact: According to JPMorgan, a decline in energy prices could benefit industrial and retail companies like Boeing, Costco, and Allstate, especially after President Trump announced “productive” talks with Iran, leading to a more than 7% drop in West Texas Intermediate futures on Monday.
- Airline Sector Recovery: Delta Air Lines saw its stock rise nearly 4% on Monday, recovering from an initial drop of over 10% at the onset of the Iran war, indicating market optimism about travel demand as energy costs decrease, highlighting the airline industry's sensitivity to oil price fluctuations.
- Luxury Market Rebound: Tapestry, the parent company of Kate Spade and Coach, jumped more than 4% on Monday after a 9% decline since the Middle East conflict began, reflecting a potential easing of concerns regarding consumer spending and rising energy costs, which could boost demand for affordable luxury goods.
- Hotel Industry Optimism: Las Vegas Sands added over 3% on Monday, in line with other hotel companies, as investor confidence grew amid optimism that an economic downturn could be avoided, suggesting potential gains for the hospitality sector in the context of falling energy prices.
See More
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- Commitment to Member Value: Costco CEO Ron Vachris reaffirmed in a viral social media video that the hot dog and soda combo will remain at $1.50, despite significant inflationary pressures, showcasing the company's dedication to delivering value to its members.
- Long-Term Price Stability: The price of this combo has remained unchanged since the 1980s, illustrating Costco's balance between profitability and member value, which enhances consumer loyalty to the brand.
- Shopping Experience Optimization: Vachris mentioned that the company is piloting automated pay stations, aiming to reduce transaction times to around eight seconds, thereby improving checkout experiences during peak periods and increasing member satisfaction.
- Mitigating Tariff Impact: During the recent earnings call, Vachris highlighted that the company has taken steps to lessen the impact of tariffs, not passing the full costs onto consumers, further solidifying Costco's competitive advantage in the fiercely competitive retail market.
See More
