New York, January 12, 2026, 17:35 ET — After-hours trading
Shares of Costco Wholesale Corp climbed nearly 2% on Monday, then held steady after hours following a regulatory filing revealing a senior executive’s stock sale.
The disclosure arrives as Costco’s stock regains momentum following a strong start to the year, though it remains jittery over signs of slowing growth. The company’s high valuation leaves scant margin for any dip in performance.
Investors face a familiar dilemma: consistent traffic and membership fees on one hand, versus a stock that can react harshly to even minor setbacks on the other.
Costco led gains in Monday’s session, outpacing a modestly higher U.S. market. Walmart climbed over 3%, while Amazon edged lower. Trading volume for Costco topped its recent average, market data showed. 1
According to a Form 4 filing, Senior Executive Vice President Russell D. Miller offloaded 1,500 shares at $916.32 each on Jan. 9, totaling $1.37 million. These shares were held indirectly through the Miller Family Trust. 2
Costco’s latest operating update last week revealed December net sales of $29.86 billion for the five weeks ending Jan. 4, marking an 8.5% increase over the previous year. The company also posted a 7.0% rise in total comparable sales during the period, with “digitally-enabled” comparable sales jumping 18.9%. Comparable sales count stores open at least a year, while the digitally-enabled figure covers sales linked to online orders and fulfillment. 3
Costco will hold its annual shareholder meeting Thursday via live webcast. The agenda includes director elections, ratification of the auditor, an advisory vote on executive compensation, and a shareholder proposal calling for a “greenwashing risk audit,” according to the proxy statement. 4
Analyst sentiment remains upbeat in the latest reports. Mizuho bumped Costco onto its top picks list and raised the price target to $1,000. Analyst David Bellinger suggests that investor concerns mostly come down to “having arguably too much consumer demand.” 5
Insider selling, even if minor compared to total holdings, can shake short-term sentiment. Costco’s monthly sales reports often shift expectations sharply, particularly when changes in gasoline prices and foreign exchange skew headline comparisons.
Costco plans to release its January sales figures on Feb. 4, followed by fiscal second-quarter earnings and February sales data on March 5, per its investor events calendar. 6
