Costco Wholesale stock dips ahead of September 24 earnings as Q4 sales climb

Published on 09/16/2026 at 14:42 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Costco Wholesale stock closed at USD 901.35 on September 15, 2026, about 13.4% below one valuation estimate and roughly 8% under pre-Q3 levels. Analysts expect Q4 2026 revenue to rise around 10% with double-digit EPS growth.

Fotorealistisches Warenhaus-Interior mit hohen Regalen und Einkaufswagen — Fotorealistisches Großhandelslager veranschaulicht Costco Wholesale Corp. US22160K1051 mit hohen Regalen und Einkaufswagen anschaulich, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Costco Wholesale Corporation stock (ISIN US22160K1051) finished the last completed trading day at USD 901.35 on Nasdaq on September 15, 2026, down 1.9% from a prior close of USD 918.91 and leaving the shares below recent highs above USD 1,000.MarketBeat highlighted the move on September 15, 2026.

Q4 2026 earnings date focuses investor attention

Investor attention is now turning to Costco Wholesale stock ahead of the company’s fiscal fourth-quarter 2026 earnings release scheduled for September 24, 2026, after the closing bell.TipRanks and TipRanks both point to that date as the next major checkpoint for the shares.

According to analyst consensus compiled by TipRanks on September 16, 2026, Wall Street expects Costco to report fiscal Q4 2026 revenue of USD 94.85 billion, up about 10% from USD 86.16 billion a year earlier, and adjusted earnings per share of USD 6.55, roughly 12% higher than USD 5.87 in the prior-year quarter.

Recent sales figures show double-digit growth

Costco has already released headline sales numbers for the retail month of August, its fiscal fourth quarter and the full fiscal year 2026, giving investors a preview of operating momentum.TipRanks reports that full-year net sales for fiscal 2026 rose 10% year-over-year to USD 297.3 billion, while comparable sales in the fourth quarter grew 7.2% excluding fuel and foreign exchange effects.

More granular Q4 figures highlight broad-based growth. As TipRanks detailed on September 16, 2026, Costco posted USD 93.9 billion in net sales for the 16-week fiscal fourth quarter ended August 30, 2026, an increase of 11.3% versus the prior-year period, with comparable sales up 9.4% or 6.7% when adjusting for fuel and foreign exchange. Digitally enabled sales in the quarter grew 19.5%, underscoring the role of e-commerce in Costco’s expansion.

The August sales update also showed monthly revenue of USD 23.7 billion, which Simply Wall St cites as evidence that the company’s consumer staples model remains resilient despite pressures such as fuel and motor oil rationing.

Analyst views, valuation and insider buying

Analyst opinions on Costco Wholesale stock remain broadly constructive but highlight valuation as a key debate. On September 16, 2026, TipRanks reported that RBC Capital analyst Steven Shemesh reaffirmed his Hold rating on Costco, maintaining a USD 1,000 price target that implies about 11% upside from trading levels near USD 903 at the time of his note.

In a separate update on September 15, 2026, Investing.com noted that RBC Capital maintained its Sector Perform rating and USD 1,000 price target while updating its model after Costco’s reported fourth-quarter comparable sales and store count. The firm now projects fourth-quarter total revenue growth of 11% and adjusted EPS of USD 6.54, compared with prior internal estimates of 12% revenue growth and USD 6.57 EPS.

Broader Street sentiment skews positive. As TipRanks summarizes, Costco carries a Moderate Buy consensus rating, with 14 Buys, five Holds and one Sell over the past three months, and an average price target of USD 1,086.94 that suggests roughly 20.6% upside from recent levels.

Valuation metrics reflect this optimism but also highlight that Costco trades at a premium relative to many retailers. According to GuruFocus on September 16, 2026, Costco shares at USD 901.35 are trading about 13.4% below an intrinsic GF Value estimate of USD 1,041.41 but command a price-to-earnings ratio around 45, underlining how much investors are willing to pay for the company’s growth prospects.

Insider activity adds another layer to the story. Regulatory filings cited by Sina Finance on September 16, 2026, show that Costco disclosed a stock purchase with an average price of USD 902.38 per share and a transaction value of about USD 1.98 million. Two additional disclosed insider purchases, also at an average price of USD 902.38 per share, were valued at approximately USD 2.41 million and USD 2.70 million respectively.Sina Finance and Sina Finance report these additional transactions, suggesting notable insider confidence at price levels slightly above USD 900.

At the same time, not all commentary is unreservedly bullish. A sector note from Yahoo Finance on September 15, 2026, highlighted that Costco shares have fallen 6.9% over the past three months compared with an 8.8% decline for its industry peer group, even as the company’s e-commerce momentum keeps its growth engine running. That differential suggests the stock has held up better than the sector, but investors are still navigating market-wide volatility.

Stock price, trading range and next checkpoint

Based on the latest available data, Costco Wholesale stock closed at USD 901.35 on Nasdaq on September 15, 2026, with around 2.18 million shares changing hands during the session, a roughly 1% increase versus the company’s average daily volume of about 2.17 million.MarketBeat data show the stock traded as low as USD 900.25 during the day, reflecting a narrow intraday range around the USD 900 mark.

For investors, the next major catalyst is the fiscal Q4 2026 earnings release on September 24, 2026, when Costco will update the market on profitability, membership trends and guidance. The company’s recent net sales growth of 11.3% in the quarter and 10% for the full fiscal year, combined with consensus expectations for roughly 10% revenue growth and low-teens EPS expansion, mean that any deviation from these double-digit trends could quickly influence Costco Wholesale stock’s trajectory.