Costco stock trades close to $960 as latest quarter shows double-digit growth
Published on 08/26/2026 at 18:32 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Costco Wholesale (US22160K1051) stock is trading close to $960 in late August 2026, while the company’s most recent May quarter delivered double-digit growth in revenue and earnings that underlines the strength of its membership-based warehouse model. Per recent reporting on August 26, 2026, the shares changed hands at about $961, leaving the stock just under the four-digit mark that some market observers see as a potential psychological level. A detailed analysis published on August 26, 2026 cites a spot price of $961.15 for Costco.
Latest quarterly growth and membership momentum
Costco’s latest reported results cover its fiscal third quarter, which ended in May 2026, and they show that the warehouse giant is still gaining scale. In that period, the company generated revenue of $70.53 billion, with sales rising 11.58% year over year, showing that consumers are continuing to increase their spending at Costco despite a competitive retail environment. The same May-quarter review reports revenue of $70.53 billion, up 11.58% from the prior year.
Earnings scaled even faster than sales in that May 2026 quarter, highlighting operating leverage in the club format. Net income increased by 15.19% year over year, delivering earnings per share of $4.93, so profit grew faster than revenue and pushed margins higher. This combination of double-digit top-line growth and faster earnings expansion helps explain why many analysts still see room for the shares to advance from current levels. The May-quarter breakdown cites EPS of $4.93 and net income growth of 15.19%.
Membership economics remain a central pillar of Costco’s growth story. In the May 2026 quarter, membership fee income reached $1.373 billion, rising 10.7% compared with the same period a year earlier, as more consumers opted for paid memberships and upgraded to premium tiers. Paid Executive memberships climbed to 41.2 million, providing a recurring revenue base and a cohort of highly engaged shoppers whose spending tends to be well above that of basic members. The May-quarter review highlights membership fee income of $1.373 billion and 41.2 million paid Executive memberships.
Digital gains and market expectations
Costco’s digital initiatives have added a further layer of growth on top of its core warehouse business. In the same May 2026 quarter, digitally enabled comparable sales increased 21.5% year over year, supported by a 37% surge in site traffic as shoppers made greater use of online ordering and curbside or delivery options. This digital strength matters because it helps Costco capture more share of wallet from existing members while reaching customers who may not live near a warehouse. The same May-quarter analysis notes a 21.5% increase in digitally enabled comparable sales and a 37% rise in site traffic.
Recent analyst consensus numbers indicate that Wall Street remains constructive on Costco’s prospects after reviewing these results. Several institutional-ownership updates published on August 26, 2026 reference a consensus rating that falls in the Moderate Buy range and point to an average 12-month price target of $1,059.53, which implies upside in the mid-single-digit percentage range from the recent trading level near $960. One August 26, 2026 institutional-ownership report notes a consensus target price of $1,059.53.
The same institutional reports underscore that large investors continue to adjust their exposure to Costco as the story develops. For example, one filing summary dated August 26, 2026 notes that a professional asset manager bought 1,600 Costco shares in a recent quarter, while another highlights that a European financial institution sold 1,306 shares over a similar timeframe. These moves reflect portfolio-level decisions but collectively show that Costco remains heavily trafficked in institutional portfolios, which can contribute to liquidity and help align the stock with broader market trends.
Comparison with longer-term performance
Recent performance data show how Costco’s robust business fundamentals have translated into substantial long-term gains for shareholders, even if shorter-term results have been more muted. As of trailing returns reported for August 25, 2026, Costco stock had gained 87.06% over the previous three years, comparing favorably with a roughly 74.26% advance in the S&P 500 over the same period. That three-year spread of nearly 13 percentage points illustrates how the combination of steady same-store sales, membership growth, and disciplined expansion has created meaningful shareholder value. The performance overview lists a 3-year total return of 87.06% for Costco versus 74.26% for the S&P 500 as of August 25, 2026.
By contrast, the one-year numbers have looked more subdued. Over the 12 months to August 25, 2026, Costco delivered a total return of 2.55%, while the S&P 500 returned 19.23% over the same period, leaving Costco trailing the broader market by more than 16 percentage points on that timeframe. Year to date as of late August 2026, Costco’s total return stood at 11.82%, slightly below the S&P 500’s 12.15%, indicating that the stock’s gains in 2026 have been close to the index but not materially ahead. The same performance table shows YTD total return of 11.82% for Costco versus 12.15% for the S&P 500, and a 1-year return of 2.55% versus 19.23%.
For investors, this pattern means that Costco’s long-run compounding remains impressive, but the stock’s shorter-term performance has lagged the wider U.S. market despite strong operating metrics. That divergence may reflect an elevated starting valuation, with Costco’s premium membership model already well recognized, as well as shifts in investor focus toward other parts of the equity market during the past year. At the same time, the combination of double-digit sales growth in the May quarter, rising membership fee income, and solid digital expansion suggests that the company’s fundamentals continue to justify significant investor attention, even if share-price gains pause periodically.
Warehouse clubs, e-commerce, and new services
Costco continues to refine its product and service offering to deepen engagement among its members and capture higher share of everyday spending. The company’s warehouse clubs offer a wide assortment of bulk groceries, fresh food, general merchandise, fuel, and ancillary services such as optical, pharmacy, and travel, and they are increasingly complemented by digital services that make it easier for members to access this selection. An important part of that effort is delivery, both through Costco’s own same-day site and through third-party partners that extend the reach of its warehouses.
A fresh example of this service expansion emerged in late August 2026 with an announcement that customers can now have Costco custom cakes and a range of party platters delivered from warehouse locations nationwide via an on-demand delivery platform. According to the announcement dated August 26, 2026, shoppers can place these orders through the partner’s app or by visiting sameday.costco.com, which routes orders from nearby warehouses and enables scheduling ahead of events. A news report on August 26, 2026 details the rollout of delivery for Costco custom cakes and party platters through an on-demand platform.
This kind of partnership extends Costco’s reach beyond in-warehouse shopping and should help drive incremental sales in categories where convenience and timing are critical, such as celebrations and large gatherings. By enabling members to order custom cakes and platters online and have them delivered to homes or event venues, Costco can increase ticket size and deepen loyalty among time-constrained households, particularly in dense urban areas where visiting a warehouse may be less convenient. It also builds on the company’s earlier efforts in same-day grocery and general merchandise delivery, highlighting a broader push to integrate the warehouse model with digital convenience.
Core private-label offering: Kirkland Signature
One representative product line that illustrates Costco’s competitive edge is its Kirkland Signature private label. Kirkland Signature spans hundreds of items across categories such as packaged foods, household goods, beverages, health products, and even apparel, and is designed to offer national-brand quality at value prices. For many members, Kirkland Signature items are a key reason to maintain their membership, as they provide consistent quality and often become staples in household shopping routines.
Costco regularly introduces new Kirkland Signature products and refreshes existing ones in response to member feedback, ensuring that the private-label range remains relevant and competitive. Because Kirkland Signature products are sold almost exclusively through Costco warehouses and online channels, they help differentiate the company from traditional grocers and big-box retailers, while also supporting margins since Costco can manage sourcing and branding more tightly than with third-party products. As the company adds services such as on-demand delivery for party platters and baked goods, Kirkland Signature items often sit at the center of those offerings, reinforcing the role of the brand in both physical and digital channels.
Costco stock and current market snapshot
Costco shares trade on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker COST, and recent data place the company’s stock price close to $960 with modest day-to-day fluctuations as investors digest both robust operating results and a valuation that already prices in a meaningful amount of future growth. For context, a recent institutional-ownership update dated August 26, 2026 highlighted a reference price of $960.01 at the start of trading, while the detailed analysis published the same day cited a spot level of $961.15, indicating a tight trading range over the session. The institutional-ownership alert notes that Costco stock opened at $960.01 in a recent session.
With a consensus 12-month price target of $1,059.53 indicating projected upside from current levels and a three-year total return that has comfortably outpaced the S&P 500, the stock continues to reflect a blend of defensive qualities and growth characteristics. At the same time, the comparatively soft one-year performance suggests that some investors may be waiting for either further earnings acceleration or a more attractive entry point before committing new capital. For existing shareholders, the key debate revolves around whether Costco can sustain high-single- to low-double-digit revenue growth and expand membership economics further, which would support the present premium relative to many other retailers.
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More on Costco stock and company disclosures
Fact box: Costco Wholesale stock snapshot
Key data for investors
Company: Costco Wholesale Corp.
ISIN: US22160K1051
Ticker: COST
Exchange: Nasdaq Global Select
Sector / Industry: Consumer staples / Broadline retail
