So, Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) just dropped another quarterly earnings beat, and the stock was... basically flat premarket on Friday. That's the kind of reaction you get when a company does exactly what everyone expects it to do, which in Costco's case is print money and keep its members happy.
But the real story here isn't just the numbers—it's what the company is saying about prices. On the conference call, an executive let slip that Costco has already started cutting prices on some stuff, like textiles and cookware. Why? Because the pressure from tariffs is easing up a bit. Even better, the company promised that if it ever gets any refunds from those tariffs, it'll pass that benefit straight to members through lower prices. It's the Costco way: take the win, share the savings.
Analysts are nodding along. BTIG's Robert Drbul is keeping his Buy rating on the stock and even bumped his price target up from $1,115 to $1,125. When a company is executing like this, it's hard to argue.
The Quarterly Scorecard
Let's break down the numbers, because they're pretty good. Revenue hit $69.6 billion for the quarter, which was ahead of what Wall Street was expecting. Adjusted earnings came in at $4.58 per share, also a slight beat. Net sales climbed 9.1% from a year ago, and total comparable sales—a key metric for retailers—jumped 7.4%.
Digging deeper, U.S. comparable sales were up 5.9%, Canada grew a solid 10.1%, and other international markets absolutely crushed it with a 13% increase. The membership engine is humming too: membership fee income rose to about $1.36 billion from $1.19 billion last year. Costco ended the quarter with 40.4 million paid memberships, up 9.5% year-over-year, helped by more people upgrading to executive memberships. More members, more fees, more repeat business—it's a beautiful model.
Reading Between the Lines of the Call
CEO Ron Vachris got into the nitty-gritty on the call. He said the shifting rates on tariffs have made it tricky to pin down the exact cost impact on every single product. It's a moving target. But the company's philosophy is clear: if there's a benefit to be had, members will get it, either through lower prices or better value.
Vachris also mentioned that Costco already cut prices during the quarter on everyday items like eggs, cheese, coffee, and some home goods. It's not just about tariffs; it's about staying competitive and delivering on that value promise.
On the growth front, Costco is still building. The company now operates 924 warehouses worldwide and expects to open 28 net new ones in fiscal 2026. Looking further out, management is targeting more than 30 annual openings in the coming years. They're also leaning into technology to speed up checkout and make operations more efficient—because nobody likes a long line.
Sales trends in February were strong, which is a good sign heading into the next quarter. But it wasn't all sunshine. A Costco executive did sound a note of caution, warning that prolonged instability in the Middle East could push fuel costs higher and mess with global shipping schedules. If tensions drag on, it might mean higher logistics and transportation expenses down the road.
As for the stock, Costco shares were trading a bit lower premarket, down over 8% to around $974. Sometimes even a beat isn't enough to move the needle if expectations were sky-high, but the long-term story here still looks solid.
