NEW YORK, March 5, 2026, 14:14 EST
Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST.O) plans to post its fiscal second-quarter results once U.S. markets wrap up on Thursday, with February sales figures also on deck, according to its investor calendar. The company will host a webcast at 1:15 p.m. PT.
Why it matters now: Costco shares have surged this year, with investors seeking out membership-driven retailers for more reliable sales as volatility hits other sectors. Analysts are looking for an 8% bump in quarterly revenue, and adjusted earnings per share — profit minus certain items — to jump 12% to $4.53, according to Visible Alpha figures cited by Investopedia.
Retailers are once again reworking their pricing and sourcing strategies as tariffs shift unexpectedly. On Wednesday, Reuters said President Donald Trump bumped the temporary import levy up to 15%, from 10%, right after the Supreme Court tossed out the government’s emergency duties. eMarketer analyst Zak Stambor called out the “policy whiplash” as the real problem, not just higher tariffs. Target CEO Michael Fiddelke, meanwhile, said price hikes are “the very last lever we want to pull.” Reuters
Costco posted net sales of $21.33 billion for January, up 9.3% from a year earlier, according to its last update released in early February. Comparable sales climbed 7.1%. Take out gasoline prices and currency swings, and that figure lands at 6.4%. “Digitally-enabled” comparable sales surged 34.4%, the company noted. Costco flagged a drag on international numbers, blaming the later dates for Lunar and Chinese New Year. Costco Investor Relations
Membership fees are still grabbing attention, mainly because they generate a dependable cushion when merchandise margins get bumpy. For the quarter ended Nov. 23, Costco reported $1.329 billion in fees, up from $1.166 billion a year before. Net sales climbed 8.2% to $65.98 billion.
Analyst projections are bunched tightly together. On Wednesday, Seeking Alpha pegged consensus at $4.55 per share in earnings, with revenue hitting $69.32 billion. The firm noted analysts have bumped up their EPS estimates during the past three months.
Technical traders have jumped on Costco’s rally. According to MarketWatch, the stock’s chart just flashed a “golden cross”—the 50-day moving average breaking above the 200-day. Costco’s momentum stands out, especially next to BJ’s Wholesale Club’s 1.6% comparable sales growth, MarketWatch noted. MarketWatch
Still, with Costco’s shares priced at roughly 47 times projected earnings for next year, there’s not much margin for error. Barron’s points out that investors are homing in on membership renewal rates and foot traffic—critical items that could shift sentiment. There’s also chatter about a possible special dividend, something Costco has handed out from time to time.
Investors dialing into the call will want details from management about the company’s approach to juggling pricing, wages, and freight expenses, along with any color on trends in higher-priced items compared to staples. What executives say about imports and shifts in member behavior could prove just as significant as the top-line figures.
Costco’s February sales numbers land with the quarterly results, offering the latest snapshot of shopper traffic as spring approaches. The stock’s already had a big move; any shift in tone could make an immediate mark in the following session.
