New York, Feb 16, 2026, 17:49 ET — Market closed
- Costco shares climbed again Friday, stretching their run to a third straight session in the green.
- Markets in the U.S. will stay dark Monday for Presidents Day. Trading is set to pick up again Tuesday.
- This week, investors are eyeing the Fed minutes, with Costco’s earnings and February sales also due out on March 5.
Costco Wholesale (COST.O) finished Friday at $1,018.48, up 1.96%. No trading Monday due to the Presidents Day market holiday. That marks three sessions in the green, with shares now sitting roughly 5.5% off the 52-week peak. 1
With markets quiet on Monday, investors turned their attention to the news cycle. CEO Ron Vachris teased, “Very excited about what we have coming in the app,” as Costco starts rolling out custom cake and deli-tray ordering through its app and website. 2
Costco’s next key test arrives March 5, when the company reports its fiscal Q2 results, coupled with February sales data. 3
Costco reported net sales for January up 9.3%, hitting $21.33 billion in the four weeks through Feb. 1. Companywide comparable sales increased 7.1%. Digital comps, capturing online orders, surged 34.4%. The retailer flagged a later Lunar New Year, which it said dragged on international numbers for the month. 4
Macro drivers are still pulling the strings for a lot of expensive consumer stocks. The latest U.S. CPI print for January climbed 2.4% over the past year, just under the 2.5% consensus. Treasury yields responded by slipping. “A bit of good news” ahead of the holiday weekend, said Tim Holland, chief investment officer at Orion. 5
When yields drop, investors tend to apply a smaller discount to future earnings—a positive for high-valuation stocks. Costco, frequently commanding a higher price tag than other major retailers, sometimes moves in sync with rates regardless of fresh company headlines.
The Federal Reserve’s January meeting minutes land on Wednesday, giving investors a closer look at how officials are weighing potential rate cuts. Also slated for release that day: U.S. industrial production numbers and the latest reading on the leading economic index. 6
Thursday brings another check-in for retail traders: Walmart will release its quarterly numbers. What Walmart says on pricing and demand tends to ripple through the sector, affecting names like Costco and Target. 7
Back in January, Costco’s board signed off on a $1.30 per share quarterly cash dividend, set for payout on Feb. 13 to anyone holding shares by Jan. 30. 8
Still, expectations for the stock remain lofty. If comparable-sales growth shows signs of slowing, or if costs start climbing more quickly than prices, shares could take a hit when the company reports.
Now that Monday’s holiday has passed, attention swings to Tuesday’s session, the Feb. 18 release of Fed minutes, and Walmart’s numbers on Feb. 19. Costco? That one’s all about March 5.
