Costco September Total Comparable Sales Up 5.7%

Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST) reported strong sales for the five weeks ended October 5, 2025, with total comparable sales increasing by 5.7% and net sales rising 8.0% to $26.58 billion. Digitally-enabled comparable sales surged 26.1%, while U.S. comparable sales grew 5.1% and international segments also saw robust increases. This performance is significant as it follows a prior year period that benefited from abnormal consumer activity related to Hurricane Helene and port strikes.

Analysis

(RTTNews) - Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST) reported that total comparable sales for the retail month of September — the five weeks ended October 5, 2025 — increased by 5.7%. U.S. comparable sales rose 5.1%, Canadian sales were up 6.3%, and Other International sales increased 8.5%. Digitally-enabled comparable sales for the month climbed 26.1%. Total comparable sales, excluding the impacts from changes in gasoline prices and foreign exchange, for the month were up 6.0%. Net sales were $26.58 billion for the retail month of September 2025, an increase of 8.0 percent from $24.62 billion last year. Last year's total and comparable sales benefitted by approximately two percent in the U.S. and one and one-half percent worldwide as a result of the increased sales due to abnormal consumer activity associated with Hurricane Helene and port strikes, the company said. The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST) reported robust sales for the retail month of September, ending October 5, 2025, with total comparable sales increasing by 5.7% and net sales rising 8.0% year-over-year to $26.58 billion from $24.62 billion. Excluding the impacts of gasoline prices and foreign exchange, total comparable sales grew 6.0%, indicating broad-based strength across the business. Segment-wise, U.S. comparable sales rose 5.1%, Canadian sales were up 6.3%, and Other International sales increased 8.5%, demonstrating consistent performance across geographies. A significant highlight was the 26.1% climb in digitally-enabled comparable sales, underscoring the company's successful e-commerce strategy and consumer shift towards online channels. The reported growth is particularly noteworthy given the prior year's elevated comparable sales, which benefited by approximately 2% in the U.S. and 1.5% worldwide due to abnormal consumer activity linked to Hurricane Helene and port strikes. This suggests organic demand continued to drive performance despite tougher year-over-year comparisons, reflecting resilient consumer demand and effective operational execution.

Key Decisions for Investors

• Investors should note Costco's robust comparable sales growth, particularly the 26.1% increase in digitally-enabled sales, as a positive signal for sustained consumer demand and effective e-commerce penetration.
• The company's ability to exceed prior-year sales, which were artificially boosted by Hurricane Helene and port strikes, indicates strong organic performance and operational resilience.
• Future focus should be on how this top-line strength translates into profitability, monitoring for potential margin impacts from inflation or operational costs.