Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports December Sales Results

Rhea-AI Summary

Costco (Nasdaq: COST) reported December net sales of $29.86 billion for the five weeks ended Jan 4, 2026, up 8.5% year-over-year, and $101.83 billion for the first 18 weeks, up 8.3% from last year.

Comparable sales: Total Company +7.0% (5 weeks) and +6.6% (18 weeks). Digitally-enabled sales grew 18.9% (5 weeks) and 19.6% (18 weeks). Costco operates 923 warehouses globally across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Japan, U.K., Korea, Australia, Taiwan, China, Spain, France, Sweden, Iceland and New Zealand.

Positive

• Digitally-enabled sales +18.9% (5 weeks) and +19.6% (18 weeks)

Negative

• None.

Key Figures

December net sales $29.86B Retail month of December, five weeks ended Jan 4, 2026

December net sales YoY 8.5% Growth vs $27.52B last year

18-week net sales $101.83B First eighteen weeks of fiscal period

18-week net sales YoY 8.3% Growth vs $94.04B last year

Total comp sales 7.0% / 6.6% Total company comps, 5 weeks / 18 weeks

Digital comp sales 18.9% / 19.6% Digitally-enabled comps, 5 weeks / 18 weeks

FX & gas-adjusted total comps 6.2% / 6.3% Total company comps ex gas and FX, 5 / 18 weeks

Warehouse count 923 warehouses Global locations operated as of release date

Market Reality Check

$915.31 Last Close

Volume Volume 2,708,244 is slightly below 20-day average 2,965,760 (relative volume 0.91x). normal

Technical Trading below 200-day MA at 950.47 and about 17.54% under the 52-week high; 5.34% above the 52-week low.

Peers on Argus 1 Down

COST is up about 1.53% with mixed peer moves: WMT +1.73%, DG +3.92%, DLTR +3.50%, TGT +2.15%, while BJ is down 2.14%. Momentum scanner only flags PSMT at -5.55%, suggesting today’s move is more stock-specific than a broad sector rotation.

Historical Context

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Dec 11	Quarterly earnings	Positive	+0.0%	Q1 FY26 results with net sales up 8.2% and higher net income.
Dec 04	Board nomination	Positive	+0.1%	Nomination of Gina Raimondo to Costco’s Board of Directors.
Dec 03	Monthly sales update	Positive	-3.0%	November sales up 8.1% with total comps +6.9% and strong digital.
Nov 05	Monthly sales update	Positive	-1.2%	October net sales up 8.6% and digitally-enabled sales up 16.6%.
Oct 15	Dividend announcement	Positive	-3.1%	Quarterly cash dividend of $1.30 per share declared.

Pattern Detected

Recent positive news (sales, earnings, dividend, board nomination) often saw flat or negative 24h price reactions, suggesting a tendency for muted or contrary trading versus fundamentals.

Recent Company History

Over the last few months, Costco reported steady growth: first‑quarter fiscal 2026 net sales of $65.98B with companywide comparable sales up 6.4% and strong digitally-enabled growth. Monthly sales updates for October and November showed net sales rising in the high single digits and digital comps in the mid‑teens to low‑20s. A quarterly dividend of $1.30 per share and a high-profile board nomination rounded out the news flow. Despite these constructive updates, 24‑hour price reactions were often flat or negative, making today’s positive move more aligned with the underlying growth trend.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement highlights continued growth, with December net sales of $29.86B up 8.5% and strong comparable sales across regions, including high‑teens digitally‑enabled comps. Recent filings and prior monthly updates show a pattern of steady mid‑single‑digit comps and expanding e‑commerce. Investors may focus on whether this pace is sustained, how gasoline prices and foreign exchange affect reported figures, and how ongoing warehouse expansion and digital investments influence margins and future sales results.

Key Terms

comparable sales financial

"Comparable sales were as follows:"

"Comparable sales" are the total sales from stores or products that have been open for a certain period, usually the same time last year or last quarter. They help show whether a business is growing by comparing similar locations or products over time, much like checking if your favorite store's sales are going up compared to previous years.

forward-looking statements regulatory

"Certain statements contained in this document and the pre-recorded message constitute forward-looking statements"

Forward-looking statements are predictions or plans that companies share about what they expect to happen in the future, like estimating sales or profits. They matter because they help investors understand a company's outlook, but since they are based on guesses and assumptions, they can sometimes be wrong.

u.s. gaap financial

"are not a substitute for net sales presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP."

U.S. GAAP is a set of rules and standards that companies in the United States follow to prepare their financial reports. It helps ensure that financial information is consistent and clear, so investors and others can compare and understand a company's financial health easily.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

ISSAQUAH, Wash., Jan. 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Costco Wholesale Corporation (“Costco” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: COST) today reported net sales of $29.86 billion for the retail month of December, the five weeks ended January 4, 2026, an increase of 8.5 percent from $27.52 billion last year.

Net sales for the first eighteen weeks were $101.83 billion, an increase of 8.3 percent from $94.04 billion last year.

Comparable sales were as follows:

		5 Weeks		18 Weeks
	U.S.	6.0%		5.9%
	Canada	8.4%		7.0%
	Other International	10.6%		9.5%
	Total Company	7.0%		6.6%
	Digitally-Enabled	18.9%		19.6%

Comparable sales excluding the impacts from changes in gasoline prices and foreign exchange were as follows:

		5 Weeks		18 Weeks
	U.S.	6.3%		5.9%
	Canada	6.0%		8.0%
	Other International	5.6%		6.5%
	Total Company	6.2%		6.3%
	Digitally-Enabled	18.3%		19.4%

Additional discussion of these results is available in a pre-recorded message. It can be accessed by visiting investor.costco.com (click on “Events & Presentations”). This message will be available through 4:00 p.m. (PT) on Wednesday, January 14, 2026.

Costco currently operates 923 warehouses, including 633 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 114 in Canada, 42 in Mexico, 37 in Japan, 29 in the United Kingdom, 20 in Korea, 15 in Australia, 14 in Taiwan, seven in China, five in Spain, three in France, two in Sweden, and one each in Iceland, and New Zealand. Costco also operates e-commerce sites in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Mexico, Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Australia.

Certain statements contained in this document and the pre-recorded message constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For these purposes, forward-looking statements are statements that address activities, events, conditions or developments that the Company expects or anticipates may occur in the future. In some cases forward-looking statements can be identified because they contain words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “likely,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would,” or similar expressions and the negatives of those terms. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual events, results or performance to differ materially from those indicated by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, domestic and international economic conditions, including exchange rates, inflation or deflation, the effects of competition and regulation, uncertainties in the financial markets, consumer and small business spending patterns and debt levels, breaches of security or privacy of member or business information, conditions affecting the acquisition, development, ownership or use of real estate, capital spending, actions of vendors, rising costs associated with employees (generally including health-care costs and wages), workforce interruptions, energy and certain commodities, geopolitical conditions (including tariffs), the ability to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting, regulatory and other impacts related to environmental and social matters, public-health related factors, and other risks identified from time to time in the Company’s public statements and reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company does not undertake to update these statements, except as required by law. Comparable sales and comparable sales excluding impacts from changes in gasoline prices and foreign exchange are intended as supplemental information and are not a substitute for net sales presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

CONTACTS:	Costco Wholesale Corporation Josh Dahmen, 425/313-8254 Andrew Yoon, 425/313-6305

COST-Sales

FAQ

What were Costco (COST) net sales for December 2025?

Costco reported $29.86 billion in net sales for the five weeks ended Jan 4, 2026 (December), up 8.5% year-over-year.

How did Costco's comparable sales perform in the 5 weeks ended Jan 4, 2026?

Total company comparable sales were +7.0% and digitally-enabled sales were +18.9% for the 5-week period.

What are Costco's year-to-date (18 weeks) net sales and growth (COST)?

Net sales for the first 18 weeks were $101.83 billion, up 8.3% versus the prior year.

How many warehouses does Costco (COST) operate worldwide as of Jan 7, 2026?

Costco operates 923 warehouses, including 633 in the U.S. and Puerto Rico and locations across 14 other countries.

Where can investors access additional commentary on Costco's December sales (COST)?

A pre-recorded message is available via the company's investor site and will remain online through 4:00 p.m. PT on Jan 14, 2026.