New York, Jan 24, 2026, 06:32 EST — Market closed
Costco Wholesale Corp shares closed Friday up 0.8% at $983.25, having fluctuated between $970.10 and $984.90 during the session, holding just below the $1,000 mark heading into the weekend.
This is important since the stock goes ex-dividend on Jan. 29 — so buyers on or after that date won’t receive the upcoming quarterly payout. 1
Costco has another key date coming up: January sales figures will drop on Feb. 4. Traders often rely on this routine update to assess demand ahead of the retail earnings season. 2
This week’s regulatory filing revealed that shareholders approved Costco’s director nominees, auditor choice, and executive compensation at the annual meeting, but turned down a proposal related to a “greenwashing risk audit.” The filing also reconfirmed the board’s quarterly dividend of $1.30 per share, set to be paid on Feb. 13 to shareholders of record as of Jan. 30. 3
Costco’s latest sales report highlighted steady momentum: December net sales climbed 8.5% year-over-year for the five-week period ending Jan. 4. Companywide comparable sales also rose 7.0%. 4
Investors took note of a new Form 4 filing, the insider trade report, revealing that executive vice president Teresa A. Jones offloaded 850 Costco shares in an open-market deal. The weighted average sale price stood at $986.2567. 5
Costco jumped on Friday during a mixed market session, with the S&P 500 inching up and the Dow slipping. Retail stocks showed a split picture: Amazon climbed, but Walmart took a step back. 6
The next major company event after sales is Costco’s fiscal second-quarter earnings call, scheduled for March 5 at 2:00 p.m. Pacific, following the New York market close. 7
But the setup works both ways. If sales come in soft, or if there’s any hint that traffic and renewal trends are slowing, the stock—priced for steady execution—could take a bigger hit. Plus, labor costs and fluctuating gasoline prices complicate month-to-month comparisons.
Traders will zero in initially on the Jan. 29 ex-dividend date and the January sales figures due Feb. 4, before shifting attention to the March 5 earnings report for a deeper look at margins and member spending.
