Top US retail chain stocks to watch in 2026

These U.S.-listed retailers run physical stores and e-commerce operations selling groceries, bulk merchandise, home improvement products and automotive parts. Nine of the ten are Consumer Discretionary names, with Walmart Inc. ($WMT) the only Consumer Staples stock in this list.

How we built this list: We selected these companies based on their retail store chain business and ordered them by market capitalisation. Prices are updated daily, and the list and supporting content are reviewed roughly every quarter. All data is sourced from Stake. This list isn't a recommendation and isn't ordered by suitability.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Source: Stake market data. Figures in US$. Data updated as of 29 September 2026.

✅ Learn more: Top 10 e-commerce stocks to watch in 2026→

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1. Walmart ($WMT)

Walmart (WMT) share price over the last year: started at US$103.06, ended at US$106.80, a change of +3.6%. Range over the period: high US$134.20, low US$100.61. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: US$106.80 · Daily: -1.8% · Market cap: US$862.64B · Sector: Consumer Staples · Industry: Food & Drug Retailers

Across the U.S., Mexico, China, India, Canada, Africa, Central America and Chile, Walmart Inc. ($WMT) runs physical retail and wholesale stores, membership warehouse clubs and eCommerce channels. The business reports through three segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International and Sam's Club U.S. The Walmart U.S. arm covers mass merchandise stores, online channels and advertising services alongside the core retail business.

Sam's Club U.S. operates as a members-only warehouse format, distinct from the main Walmart retail banner. $WMT is classified as a Consumer Staples stock, placing it in a different sector to the Consumer Discretionary retailers elsewhere in this article. The company employs 2,100,000 people globally, with John Furner serving as CEO.

2. Costco Wholesale ($COST)

Costco Wholesale (COST) share price over the last year: started at US$925.63, ended at US$924.59, a change of −0.1%. Range over the period: high US$1,094.32, low US$850.00. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: US$924.59 · Daily: 0.2% · Market cap: US$409.10B · Sector: Consumer Discretionary · Industry: Retail Stores

The membership model defines how Costco Wholesale ($COST) works. You pay an annual fee before you can buy anything in its warehouses or on its website. The company carries nationally branded and private-label products across a wide range of categories, sourcing most of its merchandise directly from suppliers.

$COST operates 891 warehouses across 14 countries. More than two-thirds are in the United States and Puerto Rico, with the remainder spread across Canada, Mexico, Japan, the United Kingdom, Korea, Australia, Taiwan, China, Spain, France and a handful of smaller markets. Ron Vachris leads the business, which employs 341,000 people.

3. Home Depot ($HD)

Home Depot (HD) share price over the last year: started at US$405.19, ended at US$288.04, a change of −28.9%. Range over the period: high US$405.19, low US$288.04. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: US$288.04 · Daily: -0.6% · Market cap: US$289.22B · Sector: Consumer Discretionary · Industry: Specialty Retail

Home Depot ($HD) runs 2,361 retail stores across the U.S., Canada and Mexico, plus over 1,280 SRS locations. The average store covers 105,000 square feet of indoor retail space. That footprint is backed by an e-commerce operation serving do-it-yourself shoppers, professional contractors and customers who'd rather book an installation than do the work themselves.

Its four business lines cover roofing and building products, interior and construction products, landscaping and pool supplies. Beyond selling materials, $HD rents tools and equipment and handles home improvement installations. With 472,400 employees and Ted Decker as chief executive, it's a large-scale operation that straddles both the retail and services sides of home improvement.

4. TJX ($TJX)

TJX (TJX) share price over the last year: started at US$144.54, ended at US$133.80, a change of −7.4%. Range over the period: high US$168.41, low US$122.84. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: US$133.80 · Daily: 2.7% · Market cap: US$143.27B · Sector: Consumer Discretionary · Industry: Retail Stores

The off-price retail model behind TJ Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods belongs to TJX Companies ($TJX). Those chains stock a mix of apparel, footwear and home fashions, with HomeGoods and Homesense covering furniture, rugs, lighting and cookware. $TJX also runs Winners and Marshalls in Canada, and TK Maxx stores across Europe and Australia. CEO Ernie Herrman leads a workforce of 377,000 people.

5. Lowe's ($LOW)

Lowe's (LOW) share price over the last year: started at US$251.31, ended at US$187.26, a change of −25.5%. Range over the period: high US$287.39, low US$187.26. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: US$187.26 · Daily: -0.2% · Market cap: US$105.29B · Sector: Consumer Discretionary · Industry: Specialty Retail

Lowe's Companies ($LOW) operates more than 1,700 home improvement stores, stocking products for construction, renovation and everyday repairs. The range runs from lumber and building materials through to appliances, flooring, paint and outdoor living – covering both national brands and $LOW's own private label lines.

Beyond the product floor, Lowe's Companies ($LOW) also offers installation services through independent contractors and sells extended protection plans across categories like appliances, tools and electrical. CEO Marvin Ellison leads a workforce of 167,000 people.

6. Target ($TGT)

Target (TGT) share price over the last year: started at US$89.70, ended at US$156.43, a change of +74.4%. Range over the period: high US$169.89, low US$83.68. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: US$156.43 · Daily: -1.3% · Market cap: US$71.97B · Sector: Consumer Discretionary · Industry: Retail Stores

Target Corporation ($TGT) sells general merchandise and groceries through roughly 2,000 large-format stores and its digital channels. Most locations run over 170,000 square feet – closer in scale to a full supermarket than a specialty retailer – and carry everything from apparel and homewares to food and beauty products under one roof.

$TGT also runs Target Plus, a digital marketplace where third-party sellers list products alongside the company's own range. Its stable of private labels – A New Day, All in Motion, Art Class and others – gives it a distinct product mix that sits outside what most grocery-anchored retailers carry. The company employs around 415,000 people and is led by CEO Michael Fiddelke.

7. OReilly Auto ($ORLY)

OReilly Auto (ORLY) share price over the last year: started at US$107.81, ended at US$86.07, a change of −20.2%. Range over the period: high US$107.81, low US$82.73. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: US$86.07 · Daily: -0.5% · Market cap: US$69.98B · Sector: Consumer Discretionary · Industry: Specialty Retail

O'Reilly Automotive ($ORLY) sells automotive aftermarket parts – alternators, brake components, fuel pumps, batteries and wiper blades – along with tools, supplies and accessories. Its customers include both DIY mechanics and professional service providers like independent repair shops across the U.S.

Beyond stocking parts, $ORLY's stores offer services like battery diagnostic testing, drum and rotor resurfacing, and a loaner tool program for specialist equipment. Brad Beckham leads a workforce of 78,258 people.

8. AutoZone ($AZO)

AutoZone (AZO) share price over the last year: started at US$4,290.24, ended at US$2,875.97, a change of −33.0%. Range over the period: high US$4,290.24, low US$2,803.25. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: US$2,875.97 · Daily: -1.3% · Market cap: US$47.12B · Sector: Consumer Discretionary · Industry: Specialty Retail

AutoZone ($AZO) sells automotive replacement parts and accessories across roughly 7,856 stores in the U.S., Mexico and Brazil. The product range covers everything from remanufactured hard parts to maintenance items and accessories for cars, SUVs, vans and light duty trucks. Commercial customers – workshops and trade buyers – can order through a separate platform, autozonepro.com, while retail shoppers can browse autozone.com alongside the store network.

Beyond parts, $AZO owns the ALLDATA brand, which provides diagnostic, repair, collision and shop management software to the trade. The company employs around 78,000 people and is led by chief executive Philip Daniele.

9. Dollar General ($DG)

Dollar General (DG) share price over the last year: started at US$103.35, ended at US$122.64, a change of +18.7%. Range over the period: high US$156.24, low US$95.94. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: US$122.64 · Daily: -1.4% · Market cap: US$27.44B · Sector: Consumer Discretionary · Industry: Retail Stores

Discount retail has a simple logic: stock everyday necessities and price them below what a supermarket or department store charges. Dollar General Corporation ($DG) applies that model across a broad merchandise mix – consumables like packaged food, cleaning products, health and beauty items, pet supplies and tobacco, plus seasonal goods, home products and apparel. Private-label selections sit alongside manufacturer brands, with $DG's own lines priced at a discount to their branded equivalents.

The product range stretches further than a typical dollar store might suggest. Seasonal shelves can carry gardening supplies, small electronics, prepaid phones and holiday items, while the home category covers cookware, small appliances and soft goods for the kitchen and bedroom. $DG employs 194,000 people to keep that operation running.

10. Dollar Tree ($DLTR)

Dollar Tree (DLTR) share price over the last year: started at US$94.37, ended at US$113.30, a change of +20.1%. Range over the period: high US$141.21, low US$85.04. Source: Stake market data. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Price: US$113.30 · Daily: -2.3% · Market cap: US$21.77B · Sector: Consumer Discretionary · Industry: Retail Stores

Dollar Tree, Inc. ($DLTR) runs roughly 9,000 discount variety stores across 48 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, plus around 275 locations across seven Canadian provinces. The stores trade under the Dollar Tree and Dollar Tree Canada names, stocking merchandise at an opening price point – meaning the entry-level price is the focus rather than a premium range.

The merchandise split covers everyday consumables like household paper, cleaning products, food and health items, alongside discretionary lines such as seasonal goods and variety products. That mix keeps foot traffic tied to regular household needs rather than purely seasonal or occasion-driven shopping.

CEO Mike Creedon leads a workforce of 35,181 employees, supported by 16 U.S. distribution centres and two in Canada. $DLTR sits in the Consumer Discretionary sector, though its consumables-heavy shelves give it some overlap with the staples-style shopping that grocery and general merchandise retailers rely on.

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Common questions

How do I invest in US retail stocks in New Zealand?

All ten stocks in this list trade on US exchanges, so you'll need a share trading platform that offers access to US markets. You find each company by its ticker – $WMT, $COST, $HD and so on – and place an order as you would for any other US share.

What are the key risks of US retail stocks?

Some of the key risks include sensitivity to consumer spending cycles – nine of the ten companies here sit in the Consumer Discretionary sector, meaning revenue can move with household budgets. Competition across every format in this list is real, spanning physical store networks, e-commerce and specialist trade channels. For NZ investors, the NZD/USD exchange rate affects both what a purchase costs in New Zealand dollars and what any proceeds are worth in NZD. Operational risks such as supply chain disruption, inventory management and labour costs can also weigh on margins across the group.

How do the retail formats in this list differ?

The ten companies cover six distinct business formats, so no single model applies across the group. Membership warehouse clubs like Costco charge an annual fee for access to bulk merchandise, and that membership revenue is a core part of the business model. Home improvement chains and auto parts specialists both serve trade customers alongside retail shoppers, giving them a commercial sales channel beyond the typical consumer. Off-price retailers buy surplus or clearance stock from brands and resell it at a discount, while dollar stores focus on everyday essentials at low fixed price points.

Disclaimer

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. When you invest, your capital is at risk. You should consider your own investment objectives, financial situation, and particular needs before making an investment decision. The value of your investments can go down as well as up and you may receive back less than your original investment. As always, do your own research and consider seeking appropriate financial advice before investing.

This is not personal financial advice nor a recommendation to invest in the securities listed. Any advice provided by Stake is of general nature only and does not take into account your specific circumstances. Trading and volume data from the Stake investing platform is for reference purposes only, the investment choices of others may not be appropriate for your needs and is not a reliable indicator of performance.

Please refer to hellostake.com/pricing for the fees that apply. When you trade securities priced in another currency, currency conversion fees may apply and movements in the exchange rate may affect your returns.

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This article combines AI and human review from our analysts to bring you accurate, informative investing content at speed. For questions or suggestions, contact stakedesk@stake.com.au.