NEW YORK, December 30, 2025, 17:05 ET — After-hours
- Costco shares were down about 0.2% in after-hours trading at $865.65.
- U.S. stocks ended slightly lower in holiday-thin trade after Federal Reserve minutes highlighted divisions on the rate path. 1
- Costco’s next near-term catalyst is its December sales release on Jan. 7, followed by its fiscal Q2 earnings call on March 5. 2
Costco Wholesale Corporation shares eased in after-hours trading on Tuesday, with the stock down about 0.2% at $865.65 at 17:05 ET.
The late-session drift came as investors wrapped up a holiday-thinned trading week and digested signals on interest rates, a key input for valuation across the market. U.S. equities finished slightly lower and Federal Reserve minutes released on Tuesday underscored a nuanced debate over economic risks. 1
For Costco, the timing matters because the next company read on demand is close. The warehouse retailer is scheduled to publish its December sales results on Jan. 7, according to its investor relations calendar. 2
Nationwide chief market strategist Mark Hackett said Tuesday’s action looked like “a healthy rebalancing of allocations” rather than an emotionally driven sell-off. The more measured tone has left many consumer names, including Costco, trading without sharp swings into year-end. 1
During the session, Costco traded between $861.44 and $867.90 after opening at $864.00, with about 1.6 million shares traded.
Costco’s Jan. 7 sales release is slated for 1:15 p.m. PT (4:15 p.m. ET), after the U.S. market close. 2
Investors typically use Costco’s monthly updates to track “comparable sales” — sales at stores open at least a year, which strips out the effect of new locations — alongside e-commerce trends. In its most recent quarter, Costco reported “digitally-enabled” comparable sales up 20.5% on an adjusted basis. 3
Costco last reported quarterly results on Dec. 11, when it said fiscal first-quarter net sales rose 8.2% to $65.98 billion and adjusted comparable sales rose 6.4% companywide for the 12 weeks ended Nov. 23. 3
The next sales snapshot will also serve as an early test of post-holiday traffic and membership dynamics. Membership fees are a key profit driver for warehouse clubs because they generate recurring revenue that can cushion tight retail margins.
Traders will weigh Costco’s update against broader retail and consumer signals early in 2026, including how price-conscious shoppers behave across staples and discretionary categories. Big-box rivals such as Walmart and Target can shape sentiment on the same “value” theme that tends to support warehouse clubs when budgets tighten.
Beyond January’s sales data, Costco has scheduled its fiscal second-quarter earnings call for March 5. Investors are also looking ahead to the Fed’s next policy meeting on Jan. 27-28 for clarity on the pace of future rate moves. 4
Until fresh company numbers arrive, Costco’s stock may remain more sensitive to shifts in rate expectations and end-of-year positioning than to day-to-day headlines.
