Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports January Sales Results

Rhea-AI Summary

Costco (Nasdaq: COST) reported January net sales of $21.33 billion for the four weeks ended Feb. 1, 2026, up 9.3% from last year. First 22 weeks net sales were $123.16 billion, up 8.5% year-over-year.

Comparable sales: Total Company +7.1% (4 weeks), +6.6% (22 weeks); Digitally‑Enabled +34.4% (4 weeks), +21.8% (22 weeks). Excluding gasoline and FX, Total Company comparable sales were +6.4% (4 weeks) and +6.3% (22 weeks). Lunar/Chinese New Year timing reduced Other International and Total Company sales by ~4.0% and ~0.5%, respectively. Costco operates 924 warehouses globally.

Positive

• January net sales +9.3% to $21.33B
• 22-week net sales +8.5% to $123.16B
• Digitally-enabled sales surged +34.4% (4 weeks)

Negative

• Lunar/New Year timing cut Other International sales by ~4.0%
• Total Company sales reduced ~0.5% from calendar shift

Key Figures

January net sales: $21.33B January YoY growth: 9.3% Net sales 22 weeks: $123.16B +5 more

8 metrics

January net sales $21.33B Retail month of January, 4 weeks ended Feb 1, 2026

January YoY growth 9.3% Net sales growth vs. $19.51B last year

Net sales 22 weeks $123.16B First 22 weeks of fiscal period

22-week YoY growth 8.5% Net sales vs. $113.55B last year

Total comp sales 7.1% Total company comparable sales, 4 weeks

Digital comp sales 34.4% Digitally-enabled comparable sales, 4 weeks

Total comp ex gas/FX 6.4% Total company comparable sales, 4 weeks, ex gasoline and FX

Digital comp ex gas/FX 33.1% Digitally-enabled comparable sales, 4 weeks, ex gasoline and FX

Market Reality Check

Price: $989.29 Vol: Volume 2,777,947 is rough...

normal vol

$989.29 Last Close

Volume Volume 2,777,947 is roughly in line with the 20-day average of 2,779,867, suggesting no unusual trading activity ahead of this update. normal

Technical Trading above its 200-day moving average of 951.41, indicating a pre-existing upward longer-term trend before this sales report.

Peers on Argus

COST was up 0.99% while key peers in discount and big-box retail also traded hig...

COST was up 0.99% while key peers in discount and big-box retail also traded higher, with WMT +3.28%, BJ +3.87%, DG +2.46%, DLTR +1.95%, and TGT +1.28%, pointing to broadly constructive sentiment in the retail group.

Common Catalyst Several large retailers reported operational news (store initiatives, community programs) on the same day, coinciding with generally positive price action across the peer group.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Jan 07 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Jan 07	Monthly sales update	Positive	-0.7%	December net sales up 8.5% with strong total and digital comps.
Dec 11	Quarterly earnings	Positive	+0.0%	Q1 FY26 sales up 8.2% and higher net income and EPS.
Dec 04	Board nomination	Neutral	+0.1%	Nomination of Gina Raimondo to board, expanding governance expertise.
Dec 03	Monthly sales update	Positive	-3.0%	November net sales up 8.1% with strong global comps and digital.
Nov 05	Monthly sales update	Positive	-1.2%	October net sales up 8.6% and digitally-enabled sales up 16.6%.

Pattern Detected

Recent monthly sales releases often showed positive fundamentals but were followed by mildly negative price reactions, indicating a tendency toward sell-the-news behavior on strong comps.

Recent Company History

Over the past few months, Costco consistently reported solid top-line growth, with October, November, and December sales each showing year-over-year gains above 8% and comparable sales in the mid-single to high-single digits. Digitally-enabled sales have grown double-digits across these updates. A December earnings release highlighted stronger net income and cash generation. Against this backdrop, the latest January sales report extends the pattern of steady, broad-based growth across regions and e-commerce.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement highlights continued strength in Costco’s operations, with January net sales risin...

Analysis

This announcement highlights continued strength in Costco’s operations, with January net sales rising 9.3% to $21.33B and digitally-enabled comparable sales up 34.4%. Total company comps grew 7.1%, and 22‑week net sales increased 8.5%. The company also quantified calendar headwinds from Lunar and Chinese New Year, giving added context to international trends. Investors may watch future monthly updates for sustainability of high single-digit growth and ongoing digital momentum.

Key Terms

forward-looking statements, u.s. gaap

2 terms

forward-looking statements regulatory

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

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 regulatory

"are intended as supplemental information and 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., Feb. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Costco Wholesale Corporation (“Costco” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: COST) today reported net sales of $21.33 billion for the retail month of January, the four weeks ended February 1, 2026, an increase of 9.3 percent from $19.51 billion last year.

Net sales for the first 22 weeks were $123.16 billion, an increase of 8.5 percent from $113.55 billion last year.

Comparable sales for the periods ended February 1, 2026, were as follows:

	4 Weeks		22 Weeks
U.S.	5.8%		5.9%
Canada	11.4%		7.8%
Other International	9.5%		9.5%
Total Company	7.1%		6.6%
Digitally-Enabled	34.4%		21.8%

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

	4 Weeks		22 Weeks
U.S.	6.8%		6.1%
Canada	8.2%		8.1%
Other International	2.7%		5.8%
Total Company	6.4%		6.3%
Digitally-Enabled	33.1%		21.4%

Lunar and Chinese New Years will occur on February 17, 19 days later this year. The shift negatively impacted January Other International and Total Company sales by approximately 4.0% and 0.5%, respectively.

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, February 11, 2026.
        
Costco currently operates 924 warehouses, including 634 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's (COST) January 2026 net sales and growth rate?

Costco reported $21.33 billion in January net sales, a 9.3% increase year-over-year. According to the company, this covers the four weeks ended Feb. 1, 2026, and reflects stronger digitally‑enabled sales and regional variations influenced by holiday timing.

How did Costco's comparable sales perform for the 22 weeks ended Feb. 1, 2026 (COST)?

Total Company comparable sales rose 6.6% for the 22‑week period. According to the company, comparable sales excluding gasoline and FX were 6.3%, with digitally‑enabled sales driving above‑average growth.

What impact did Lunar and Chinese New Year have on Costco (COST) January sales?

The holiday timing negatively affected results, lowering Other International sales by about 4.0%. According to the company, the calendar shift reduced Total Company January sales roughly 0.5% versus a year without the timing difference.

How large is Costco's global footprint as of Feb. 2026 (COST)?

Costco operates 924 warehouses globally, including 634 in the United States and Puerto Rico. According to the company, the network also spans Canada, Mexico, Japan, the U.K., Korea, Australia, Taiwan, China, Spain, France, Sweden, Iceland, and New Zealand.

How much did digitally‑enabled sales contribute to Costco's (COST) short‑term growth?

Digitally‑enabled sales jumped 34.4% in the four‑week period and 21.8% for 22 weeks. According to the company, digital channels substantially outpaced store comps and were a key driver of the reported sales increases.