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Costco Stock Rises 2.6% After Q4 Earnings Beat
Why is Costco stock up today?
Costco (COST) stock rose 2.6% on Friday after the warehouse retailer posted Q4 revenue of $95.7 billion and EPS of $6.75, both beating Wall Street estimates, on 9.4% comparable sales growth.
Key numbers
| Q4 Total Revenue | $95.7Bvs $94.85B estimate |
|---|---|
| Q4 Diluted EPS | $6.75vs $6.55 consensus; $0.15 non-recurring IEEPA tariff benefit included |
| Q4 Net Sales | $93.9B+11.2% YoY from $84.4B |
| Comparable Sales Growth | +9.4%beat 6.44% adjusted estimate; adjusted comp +6.7% |
| Digital Sales Growth | +19.5%+19.8% adjusted; full-year digital sales exceeded $33B |
| Membership Renewal Rate | 89.8%150.4M total cardholders; US/Canada rate 92.3% |
What happened
Costco (COST) stock rose 2.6% on Friday after the warehouse retailer posted Q4 revenue of $95.7 billion and EPS of $6.75, both beating Wall Street estimates, on 9.4% comparable sales growth. The figures cover the 16-week period ending August 30, 2026, during which net sales climbed 11.2% to $93.9 billion from $84.4 billion a year earlier. Online and app purchases surged 19.5%, helping push full-year net sales to $297.2 billion, up 10.1% versus fiscal 2025. Quarterly earnings included a one-time $0.15-per-share benefit from government tariff refunds that Costco partly passed back to shoppers as lower prices on select items.
Why it matters
Costco is one of the world's largest retailers, and a beat of this size signals that shoppers are still spending freely even as many households watch their budgets. The 19.5% surge in digital sales shows the warehouse giant is successfully drawing customers to its website and app without cannibalizing its in-store business. The one-time $0.15 IEEPA tariff refund padded this quarter's results and will not repeat, so the next quarter will need to stand on its own.
Who this affects
- MarketbullishLow impact
- Retail stocks edge higher on Costco's resilient consumer spending data.
- CompanybullishMedium impact
- Shares rise 2.6%; full-year EPS of $20.76 hits a record high.
- CompetitorsbearishLow impact
- BJ's Wholesale and Walmart face tougher year-over-year comparisons.
- IndustrybullishLow impact
- Warehouse clubs show resilience; digital growth outpaces big-box peers.
Costco vs Walmart, Target, BJ's Wholesale
| CostcoCOST:NASDAQ | $408B | +2.6% | +11% | 43x |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WalmartWMT:NYSE | $990B | — | +18% | 36x |
| TargetTGT:NYSE | $72B | — | +14% | 16x |
| BJ's WholesaleBJ:NYSE | $11B | — | — | 20x |
As of 2026-09-25
How we got here
Q1 FY2026 results: net sales rise 8.2% to $65.98B; digital comps +20.5%
Q3 FY2026 results: net sales up 11.6% to $69.15B; momentum accelerates
Costco reports Q4 FY2026 after market close; stock flat in after-hours
COST gains 2.6% as full earnings beat confirmed at market open
What to watch
- Q1 FY2027 EPS without the non-recurring $0.15 IEEPA tariff tailwindQ1 FY2027
- Membership renewal rate direction after reaching 89.8% worldwideQ1 FY2027
- Whether digital comparable sales sustain above the 19.5% Q4 paceQ1 FY2027
Educational content only. Not investment advice.
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