Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) earnings date & stock reaction
COST · Costco Wholesale Corporation · Consumer Discretionary
Costco Wholesale Corporation earnings date & time
Schedule
- Korea time (KST)
- Fri, December 11
- Reporting pattern
- 12 of last 12 after close
- Typical move
- ±2.9% · 12-report avg
What the market expects
Consensus EPS
$4.90Coming in above this counts as a beat
- Year-ago quarter
- $4.50→+8.9%
“Net income for the fourth quarter came in at $2.998 billion, or $6.75 per diluted share. This year's results include a non-recurring benefit of $0.15 per diluted share from IEEPA tariff refunds.”
“Digitally enabled sales, which include third-party delivery, exceeded $33 billion and was an increase of more than 20%.”
- ▲Double-digit revenue growth and membership expansion
- Q4 net sales reached $93.9 billion, an 11.2% increase compared to $84.4 billion in the same period last year.
- Total paid members grew 3.8% to 84.1 million, with executive members increasing by 9.4% year-over-year.
- ▲Strong growth in digital channels
- Digitally enabled sales grew 19.5% this quarter, driving overall company performance.
- Personalized initiatives on the Costco app and website led to triple-digit sales growth in those segments.
- ▲Broad-based performance across segments
- Pharmacy sales grew nearly 20% year-over-year, supported by expanded digital capabilities.
- The travel business also saw double-digit growth driven by strong demand for vacation packages and cruises.
- ▼Margin pressure from increased LIFO charges
- LIFO charges for the quarter were $152 million, significantly higher than the $43 million recorded in the same quarter last year.
- This resulted in an 11 basis point negative impact on the quarterly gross margin rate.
- ▼Net income boosted by non-recurring items
- Q4 net income included a non-recurring benefit of $0.15 per diluted share from tariff refunds.
- Excluding this benefit, the underlying improvement in net income is more moderate.
- ▼Increased cash flow pressure from rising CAPEX
- Capital expenditure for fiscal year 2027 is planned at approximately $7.5 billion, up from $6.4 billion in 2026.
- Continued investment in new warehouses and supply chain infrastructure is increasing pressure on cash flow.
Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) rose the day after earnings in 6 of its last 12 reports (50%), moving ±2.9% on average. It has fallen despite beating the consensus estimate 3 times.
When results drop, skip the EPS number. Check if the growth above holds or accelerates, and whether guidance beats expectations.
The real bar for this stock
Beating estimates isn't enough. Here's where the real surprise started.
How this stock reacts to earnings
Traits seen across its recent earnings reactions
Earnings number vs guidance: which drives it?
How often the beat/miss matched the actual price move
3/10 beats fell next day · watches Comp sales · e-commerce · membership
- Aug 2026 report+2.9%
- May 2026 report-3.9%
- Feb 2026 report+1.6%
- Nov 2025 report+0.0%
- Aug 2025 report-2.9%
- May 2025 report+3.1%
Earnings timeline · bars = next-day move, ▲▼ = beat/miss
Earnings trend · last 12 quarters
Earnings history and price reaction
| Quarter ended | Reported (ET) | vs market expectation (consensus) | Earnings day | After 5 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/2026 | 2026-09-24 | +3.4% | +2.9% | +2.1% |
| 5/2026 | 2026-05-28 | -0.8% | -3.9% | -2.3% |
| 2/2026 | 2026-03-05 | +0.7% | +1.6% | +2.1% |
| 11/2025 | 2025-12-11 | +5.5% | 0.0% | -3.0% |
| 8/2025 | 2025-09-25 | +1.1% | -2.9% | -2.8% |
| 5/2025 | 2025-05-29 | +1.2% | +3.1% | +0.2% |
12 reports, quarters ending 11/2023 to 8/2026. The earnings-day move is the first trading day that reflects the report; the five-day figure is the cumulative move from that point.
Frequently asked questions
When is the next Costco Wholesale Corporation earnings date?
The next Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) earnings report is expected Thu, December 10 around 4:00 PM ET, after the close. It comes from an earnings calendar and may not be a company-confirmed date; it updates automatically if it changes.
What is the consensus EPS forecast for Costco Wholesale Corporation's next earnings?
Analysts expect EPS of about $4.90 for Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST). Coming in above that counts as a beat, below it a miss — though a beat does not guarantee the stock rises.
Does Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) stock usually go up after earnings?
Over the last 12 earnings reports, the stock rose on 6 of them (50%). The average move on earnings day was ±2.9%.
Does Costco Wholesale Corporation react more to the earnings numbers or to guidance?
In 3 of the last 12 reports (25%), the stock moved the opposite way from whether it beat or missed the forecast. A high share means guidance and expectations drive the move more than the reported numbers.
Can Costco Wholesale Corporation stock fall even when earnings are good?
Yes. In 5 of the last 12 reports, Costco Wholesale Corporation fell on the earnings day despite growing EPS. Expectations already priced in, or guidance, can matter more than the reported numbers.
Does Costco Wholesale Corporation stock keep moving after the earnings day?
Over the last 11 reports, the move continued in the same direction for the following five trading days 45% of the time. This tendency is known as post-earnings announcement drift.