Costco Posts Strong March Sales Despite Fewer Shopping Days

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Costco Wholesale Corp. (NASDAQ: COST) on Wednesday reported strong sales growth for March 2026. Details

Net sales for the month increased 11.3% year over year to $28.41 billion. For the first 31 weeks of the fiscal year, net sales rose 9.1% to $173.26 billion.

Comparable sales climbed 9.4% in March and 7.2% for the first 31 weeks, both on a year-over-year basis.

E-commerce remained a standout, with digitally enabled comparable sales rising more than 20% in both periods.

Excluding the impact of fuel and foreign exchange, comparable sales rose 6.2% for the month and 6.4% for the first 31 weeks.

Costco noted that one fewer shopping day due to the timing of Easter negatively impacted sales by about 1.5 percentage points.

The retailer said it operates 928 warehouses, including 637 in the United States.

Recent Earnings

In its most recent quarterly report, Costco posted second-quarter revenue of $69.60 billion, exceeding analyst estimates of $69.29 billion, according to Benzinga Pro. Comparable sales for the quarter rose 7.4% from a year earlier.

The company reported earnings of $4.58 per share, slightly ahead of estimates of $4.57 per share.

Analyst Consensus & Recent Actions: The stock carries a Buy Rating with an average price target of $1064.29. Recent analyst moves include:

  • Telsey Advisory Group: Outperform (Maintains Target to $1125.00) (March 31)
  • JP Morgan: Overweight (Raises Target to $1060.00) (March 6)
  • BMO Capital: Outperform (Raises Target to $1315.00) (March 6)
Technical Analysis

At $1027.13, the stock is trading 3.4% above its 20-day simple moving average (SMA) of $993.67, indicating a short-term bullish trend. Additionally, it is trading 3.7% above its 100-day SMA of $946.82, suggesting intermediate-term strength as well.

The relative strength index (RSI) is currently at 66.19, which is neutral and suggests that the stock is neither overbought nor oversold at this time. This positioning indicates that there may still be room for upward momentum without immediate selling pressure.

  • Key Resistance: $1067.08 - This level marks the 52-week high, where selling pressure may increase.
  • Key Support: $990.71 - This level represents the 50-day SMA, a potential area for buyers to step in.
The stock has gained 6.74% over the past 12 months, reflecting a generally positive trend despite recent fluctuations. Currently, it is positioned near its 52-week high, which suggests strong performance relative to the past year's trading range.

Benzinga Edge Rankings

Below is the Benzinga Edge scorecard for Costco Wholesale, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses compared to the broader market:

  • Value: 34.39 - Trading at a premium relative to peers.
  • Growth: 63.62 - Indicates moderate growth potential.
  • Quality: 90.5 - Reflects a strong balance sheet and operational efficiency.
  • Momentum: 60.58 - Suggests decent upward price momentum.
The Verdict: Costco Wholesale's Benzinga Edge signal reveals a balanced profile with strong quality metrics but a premium valuation. This suggests that while the company is performing well operationally, its stock may be priced for perfection, warranting caution for potential investors.

Top ETF Exposure

  • Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF (NYSE: SPHQ): 4.81% Weight
  • State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (NYSE: XLP): 9.00% Weight
Significance: Because COST carries such a heavy weight in these funds, any significant inflows or outflows for these ETFs will likely force automatic buying or selling of the stock.

COST Price Action: Costco Wholesale shares were up 0.13% at $1,031.59 during premarket trading on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro data.