Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST)

Costco's stock slipped 1.05% over the last 52 weeks but climbed 15.56% year-to-date in 2026, with a 1.64% pullback in the past month as of May 9, 2026. In April 2026, shares increased to a 4-week high of $1013.00 USD, and in March 2026, decreased to a 4-week low of $966.31 USD. On March 5, Costco reported Q2 fiscal year 2026 earnings, surpassing expectations with revenue climbing 9.2% year-over-year to $69.6 billion and EPS at $4.58. April 2026 net sales jumped 13.0% year-over-year to $23.92 billion, with comparable sales up 11.6% overall and digitally enabled sales surging by 18.8%. The company also raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share.

Demand for Costco's products and services exhibits seasonality, influenced by consumer purchasing patterns and holidays. Demand increases during major shopping holidays, particularly in the latter part of the year. The calendar shift of Easter can positively impact sales, as seen in April 2026. The Consumer Staples sector generally experiences seasonal strength from April 25 to November 23. Historically, May has shown a tendency to favor a long bias for Costco's stock.

Costco Wholesale Corp. operates as a membership-only warehouse club, offering a limited selection of high-quality, brand-name, and private-label products in bulk at competitive prices. The company operates in the Retail-Wholesale sector, specifically within the Warehouse Clubs & Supercenters and Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industries. Costco's core business includes food and sundries, fresh foods, non-foods (hardlines and softlines), and ancillary businesses like gasoline stations and pharmacies. A key component is its private label, Kirkland Signature™, offering quality comparable to national brands at lower prices. The company also generates revenue from annual membership fees.

Costco has a large international presence, operating 914 warehouses worldwide as of August 31, 2025, including in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, the United Kingdom, Korea, Australia, Taiwan, China, Spain, France, Sweden, Iceland, and New Zealand. The United States accounts for the largest share of Costco's revenue at approximately 72.37% in fiscal year 2024, followed by Canada at around 13.71%. Costco also operates e-commerce sites in several of these markets.

Costco has a strong brand reputation built on quality, value, and customer loyalty, with membership renewal rates consistently exceeding 90% globally. This is due to rigorous quality control, transparent pricing, ethical business practices, and customer service. There have been no widely reported negative events that significantly impacted Costco's brand reputation in the past year.

Institutional investors own approximately 71% of Costco Wholesale Corporation's shares, with Vanguard Group Inc and BlackRock, Inc. being the largest shareholders. Insiders own a small percentage, typically under 1%, and retail investors and other entities own the remaining shares, approximately 29%.