New York, Jan 23, 2026, 20:13 EST — The market is now closed.
Costco Wholesale Corp (COST.O) shares gained 0.7%, closing at $983.25 on Friday. The stock finished the week just below the $1,000 threshold, following news of an insider sale. Over the last five sessions, the stock has climbed roughly 2%. 1
U.S. markets will remain closed until Monday, putting the spotlight on Costco’s upcoming reports: January sales set for Feb. 4 and fiscal Q2 earnings due March 5, per the company’s investor calendar. 2
The macro backdrop is helping, too. A “flash” U.S. Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) — based on a survey of business activity — indicated steady growth in January, though firms pointed to tariff-driven cost pressures. “Increased costs, widely blamed on tariffs, are again cited as a key driver of higher prices,” said Chris Williamson, chief business economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence. 3
Costco’s stock followed a mostly flat day on Wall Street. The Dow slid 0.58%, while the S&P 500 barely moved, dragged down by a steep fall in Intel that counterbalanced gains in select mega-caps. Consumer staples showed resilience, with the XLP fund climbing roughly 0.8% during the session. 4
A U.S. securities filing revealed that Executive Vice President Teresa A. Jones sold 850 Costco shares on Jan. 21, with a weighted average price of $986.2567 per share. The trades were priced between $986.22 and $986.48. The Form 4, which discloses insider transactions, was signed on Jan. 23 and indicated she retained roughly 4,228 shares after the sale. 5
Costco announced its board approved a quarterly cash dividend of $1.30 per share, set for payment on Feb. 13 to shareholders recorded by Jan. 30. The company also reported it currently runs 923 warehouses worldwide. 6
Costco’s monthly sales updates now regularly move the stock, thanks to their timing between earnings reports. The latest showed December net sales climbed 8.5% to $29.86 billion for the five weeks ending Jan. 4. Comparable sales across the company rose 7%. 7
The latest government data shows U.S. consumer spending rose 0.5% in November, matching the increase seen in October, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. 8
Next week, all eyes will be on the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting scheduled for Jan. 27-28. Retailers remain sensitive to any change in rate expectations, as it directly affects sentiment tied to credit availability and demand for big-ticket items. 9
Costco now hovers around a key round-number mark following a steady climb. Any weak January sales figures—or margin pressure from rising costs—could invite more intense scrutiny than normal.
Costco is set to report its January sales on Feb. 4 at 1:15 p.m. PT (4:15 p.m. ET). 10
