NEW YORK, Feb 14, 2026, 11:26 EST — Market closed.
- Costco shares rose 1.9% on Friday to $1,018.48.
- A cooler U.S. inflation print helped steady consumer stocks into the weekend.
- A new lawsuit over alleged salmonella risk in rotisserie chicken adds headline risk.
Costco Wholesale Corp shares ended Friday up 1.9% at $1,018.48, lifting the warehouse retailer into a long weekend with U.S. trading shut until next week.
The move matters because rate bets and consumer demand are back in the frame at the same time. A softer inflation read has nudged traders to revisit whether the Federal Reserve can cut rates later this year without a fresh price flare-up.
Costco’s next company-specific check-in is close enough to keep investors leaning forward. The retailer is scheduled to release fiscal second-quarter results alongside its February sales update on March 5. (Costco Investor Relations)
On Wall Street, the Dow and S&P 500 ended a choppy Friday barely higher while the Nasdaq slipped, a backdrop that left stock-pickers looking for shelter in steadier consumer names. “Either way, it is a bit of good news as we head into the long holiday weekend,” said Tim Holland, chief investment officer at Orion, referring to the inflation data. (Reuters)
The Labor Department said the consumer price index rose 0.2% in January, while core CPI — which strips out food and energy — increased 0.3%. “Price pressures remain a little too hot for comfort,” James McCann, senior economist at Edward Jones, said in a note on the report. (Reuters)
Costco also outpaced several retail bellwethers on the day, with Walmart edging higher and Amazon slipping, while Target rose more sharply. Costco’s stock finished about 5.5% below its 52-week high, and volume was roughly in line with recent averages, MarketWatch data showed. (MarketWatch)
Markets are closed on Monday, Feb. 16, for Washington’s Birthday/Presidents Day, according to the NYSE holiday calendar, making Tuesday the next regular session for U.S. stocks. (New York Stock Exchange)
Legal headlines are also in play. Costco faces a proposed class action alleging salmonella contamination risk tied to its rotisserie chicken supply chain; the complaint cited a study and claimed a Nebraska processing plant failed U.S. safety standards, while Costco and the plant did not immediately respond to requests for comment, Reuters reported. The suit targets a product Costco sells as a $4.99 “loss leader” — an item priced low to draw shoppers in. (Reuters)
In the background, Costco’s most recent monthly update showed January net sales rose 9.3% to $21.33 billion, and comparable sales — a key gauge of demand at locations open at least a year — increased 7.1% for the four-week period, the company said earlier this month. (Costco Investor Relations)
But the stock’s cushion is not infinite. If the chicken lawsuit broadens, prompts deeper scrutiny, or starts to dent the brand’s value pitch, investors could get less patient, especially with the shares near the top end of their recent range.
The near-term calendar is straightforward: trading resumes Tuesday after the holiday, and then attention shifts to March 5 for Costco’s results and February sales figures — the next hard data point that can reset expectations.
