New York, Feb 5, 2026, 18:17 EST — After-hours
- Costco shares ended the day up 1.2%, closing at $989.29, having briefly surged above $1,000 during the session.
- January net sales climbed 9.3% year-on-year, hitting $21.33 billion; digitally-enabled comparable sales surged 34.4%.
- Investors are eyeing Costco’s fiscal Q2 earnings call on March 5, seeking updates on margins and membership numbers.
Shares of Costco Wholesale Corp (COST.O) climbed 1.2% on Thursday, closing at $989.29. The stock outpaced a notably weaker U.S. market as investors continued to back the warehouse retailer’s recent sales strength.
This move is significant because Costco’s monthly sales updates offer one of the quickest insights into demand within its fiscal quarter. They come at a time when traders are shifting away from crowded growth stocks and favoring more stable consumer names.
The shift accelerated Thursday as investors sold off big tech stocks, worried that the AI spending surge won’t yield fast returns. “We’re seeing this volatility about whether this investment will translate, ultimately, into results,” said Tom Hainlin, an investment strategist at U.S. Bank Wealth Management. Reuters
Costco reported January net sales of $21.33 billion for the four weeks ending Feb. 1, up 9.3% from last year. Comparable sales, which track stores open at least a year, climbed 7.1%. Sales driven by digital channels surged 34.4%. Excluding gasoline prices and foreign exchange, comparable sales rose 6.4%. The company noted that the later timing of Lunar and Chinese New Year cut about 0.5% from January sales.
Costco notched a fourth consecutive gain, bucking a downward trend among retail rivals. Amazon slipped 4.4%, Walmart dropped 0.8%, and Target lost 2.9% on the day, per MarketWatch. The stock closed about 8% shy of its 52-week peak near $1,078, with volume tracking close to its 50-day average.
Oppenheimer bumped its price target on Costco to $1,100 from $1,050, maintaining an Outperform rating. The upgrade follows a 6.8% rise in January U.S. comparable sales, excluding gas. Non-food categories stood out, the firm noted, and hinted that a special dividend or stock split could spark further gains.
Costco counts on membership fees to keep prices down, making renewal rates and expenses just as critical to investors as sales numbers.
Monthly data often comes with noise. Gasoline prices, currency fluctuations, and calendar quirks can all sway the headline figure. The real test: will that steep online growth rate stick once these factors fade?
On Friday, eyes will be on Costco as it tries to break past the $1,000 level once more, testing if buyers stay active amid the ongoing risk-off mood in U.S. stocks.
Costco’s fiscal second-quarter earnings call is set for March 5 at 2:00 p.m. PT. Investors will zero in on updates around margins, membership income, and demand trends as February wraps up.
