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.
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.
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. SEC
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%.
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.
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.
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.
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.
