New York, Feb 19, 2026, 15:59 EST — Regular session
Costco Wholesale Corp shares slipped roughly 0.9% to $987.22 late Thursday, after bouncing between $1,007.19 and $984.00. That’s down $8.86 from Wednesday’s close at $996.08.
That drop stands out as big-box retailers land back under the microscope, investors wrestling with the idea of “value” while wallets shrink. Weakness across U.S. equities didn’t do any favors, either.
Walmart’s new CEO John Furner sounded a note of caution on spending, despite the retailer’s solid sales numbers—a signal some investors watch for clues on the broader retail sector. “In the U.S. we see the customers being choiceful,” Furner said, pointing out that families making less than $50,000 still faced “wallets” under pressure. Walmart announced a fresh $30 billion stock buyback, and it guided profit below what Wall Street had penciled in. Shares gained around 2% during Thursday’s session. Reuters
Economic numbers landed with mixed signals. Jobless claims dropped, and the U.S. goods trade deficit set a new record. Oil? Up to a six-month high, with jitters over the Middle East in play, according to Reuters. “Today (investors are) weighing some of the economic data and what Walmart’s earnings are saying in terms of the consumer,” said Chuck Carlson, CEO at Horizon Investment Services. Reuters
Costco, famous for its warehouse memberships and expanding online sales, often acts as a barometer for household spending and subscription loyalty. Whenever debates over the consumer heat up, this stock doesn’t tend to sit still for long.
March 5 stands out as the next key date—Costco will deliver its fiscal Q2 results and update on February sales, according to the company’s investor page. The announcement hits at 1:15 p.m. PT, or 4:15 p.m. ET, just after the U.S. closing bell.
Investors watch that February sales number closely — it’s one of the earliest clues on traffic and ticket size ahead of the full quarterly release. Stock often reacts just as much to what’s said about membership fee income or shopping mix as to the headline sales figure itself.
The risk is clear enough: retail sentiment could flip quickly if investors read Walmart’s caution as a warning for the sector, not just the company. Should fuel stay expensive or stubborn inflation squeeze shoppers, Costco’s bargain reputation might not be enough to keep wallets open.
Traders are eyeing Thursday’s Walmart read-across to see if it keeps retail under pressure through the close, or if attention drifts back toward rates and macro data instead.
The next major moment for COST bulls and bears comes on March 5, when Costco releases its report, along with those key February sales figures.
