New York, March 1, 2026, 11:38 EST — Market closed.
- Costco finished the last session at $1,010.79, up 2.44%.
- Bank of America resumed coverage on Costco, slapping a Buy rating on the stock and placing it high on its list of favored large-cap retailers.
- Next up: March 5 earnings. Investors are zeroing in on membership fee trends, margins, and digital spending.
Costco Wholesale could see some action at the open Monday. Bank of America has resumed its coverage of the warehouse retailer. COST finished Friday’s session at $1,010.79, up 2.44%.
Timing’s a factor here. Costco is set to release its quarterly numbers this week, with the shares turning into a popular “steady hands” play among investors navigating a confusing consumer landscape.
BofA on Friday tagged Costco with a Buy, arguing the retailer stands out in a “K-shaped economy” where wealthier shoppers keep up their spending even as lower-income groups pull back. Analyst Christopher Nardone highlighted Costco’s strong appeal among higher earners but emphasized that its sharp pricing still brings in value-driven customers. Executive memberships remain a major edge — they make up half the customer base but generate about 75% of revenue. Nardone noted a slight dip in renewal rates and called out e-commerce investments as a medium-term risk. Walmart took the spot as BofA’s top pick, while Target was relaunched at Underperform. Investing.com
It doesn’t take much to move the needle at Costco. Wage bumps, tweaks in pricing, a mix shift—these subtle changes can weigh just as heavily as a big sales headline when you’re running on razor-thin merchandise margins.
Costco booked $21.33 billion in net sales for the four weeks ending Feb. 1, climbing 9.3% from the prior year’s tally, according to its latest monthly update. Comparable sales for locations open at least a year increased 7.1%. Digital comp sales soared 34.4%. The company did flag some international softness, blaming the timing of Lunar and Chinese New Year.
Analysts expect Costco to deliver another strong showing. Zacks, writing on Nasdaq, projects fiscal Q2 revenue at roughly $69.22 billion and earnings of $4.53 per share. Comparable sales growth is pegged at 6.5%, which would top last year’s pace, just ahead of Costco’s scheduled March 5 post-close report.
Derivatives traders are prepping for a sharper move post-results. Options are pointing to an anticipated 4.4% swing in COST, up or down, based on data from Investing.com.
Still, there’s risk on the flip side. Costco’s stock commands a premium over a lot of its big-box rivals, so any slip—be it a margin hiccup, a dip in membership renewals, or costs for digital and payroll running above what investors have penciled in—could sour sentiment in a hurry and drag shares back toward their recent range.
Next up, Costco steps into the spotlight with its fiscal Q2 earnings call slated for March 5, then drops its March sales numbers on April 8. Investors are tuned in for any hint of a change in the retailer’s approach to price and wage reinvestment—key signals for where profits might head this spring.
