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ERROR: type should be string, got "https://www.barrons.com/articles/costco-stock-could-come-back-51545670176\nCostco Stock Could Rise After a Recent Dip, Says Analyst\nDec. 24, 2018 11:49 am ET\nPhotograph by Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images\nCostco Wholesale (COST) stock is down along with the rest of the market on Monday, and investors might want to rein in their expectations.\nWhere we were: Costco stock has outperformed much of retail in 2018, and although the stock’s gains have been pared, it’s still ahead of the pack year to date.\nWhere we’re headed: Argus lowered its price target on the stock, although the firm is still bullish on its prospects.\nWith just a few trading days left in 2018, the year of the retail rebound has crumbled: The SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) is down 14% after hitting new all-time highs this summer. So perhaps it’s not surprising that Costco hasn’t been able to maintain the double-digit gains it had seen earlier in the year. However, with the stock up 3.6%, it’s still doing well compared with peers and the rest of the market.\nCostco stock has long been a haven of stability in retail, which helped propel it ahead of the group in recent years. However this month has been a painful one for the stock, which suffered its worst day in a decade after reporting downbeat earnings. Costco still has plenty of defenders on the Street, although perhaps after its recent rout, it’s not surprising that some are bringing in their expectations a bit.\nCostco’s rerating amid ongoing uncertainty are the catalysts behind a price cut from Argus. Analyst Christopher Graja reiterated a Buy rating on Monday, but lowered his price target by $10 to $245, to account for the stock’s decline amid the market’s recent selloff. The lowered price target still implies about 27% upside; Costco stock is down 0.8% to $192.90 in recent trading.\nGraja is keeping his full-year 2019 EPS estimate of $7.85 intact, and expects Costco will grow profits 11.5% in 2020 to $8.75. And while the stock is trading at a slight premium to the group, he argues that it’s well warranted, given the stability of its membership-fee income and financial strength. He also argues that its ability to deliver “extreme value,” is a key differentiator in the current market.\nIt’s not entirely surprising that Costco has been caught up in the selling frenzy. Its November same-store sales came in a bit light, and after a robust couple of years, comparisons have been getting more difficult at a time when jittery investors are more nervous than ever. Still, its stable membership base, low debt load, and trusted management team may attract investors once the worst of the bearish sentiment subsides--whenever that is.\nRecent earnings aside, Costco has benefitted somewhat from the flight to safety.\nFive safety picks in retail."