Costco Beats on Sales and Earnings as Same-Store Growth Hits 9.8%
Costco posted a strong quarter with net sales up 11% year-over-year, clearing Wall Street's revenue bar with room to spare. Same-store sales rose 9.8% in the third quarter — partly lifted by gasoline — while adjusted comparable sales grew 6.6%, both figures outpacing rival big-box retailers. On the labor front, the company's CEO pushed back on automation fears, framing AI as a tool that enhances workers rather than replaces them.
Costco's consistent ability to beat comparable sales estimates signals that its membership model is holding consumer loyalty even in a value-conscious environment — a meaningful read on middle-to-upper-income household spending. For investors, strong comps relative to competitors like Target and Walmart suggest Costco continues to take market share, supporting a premium valuation. The CEO's public stance on AI and labor is also a reputational asset — Costco's worker-friendly brand directly reinforces membership retention.
Costco's next quarterly earnings release (fiscal Q4 2025, expected September 2025). Monthly retail sales data from the U.S. Census Bureau, next release mid-July 2025. Walmart and Target earnings in mid-August 2025 for sector comparison.
- Costco CEO says AI is not stealing workers' jobs—it's 'elevating' them · Fortune
- Costco smashes comparable sales expectations, outpaces big box peers · Seeking Alpha
- Costco sales jump 11%, revenue tops Wall Street expectations · CNBC
- Earnings Snapshot: Costco tops Q1 estimates · Seeking Alpha
- Costco in charts: Total adjusted comparable sales growth of 6.6% in Q3 · Seeking Alpha
- Higher gas prices are driving people to membership retailers — and Costco is the latest to benefit · MarketWatch
Full analysis · Subscribers
The deep dive (bull case, bear case, and the data point that decides which side wins), the cause-and-effect chain behind the move, plain-English explainers for every block.
Want this for every market day?
Aggregated reads 51 sources in five languages and turns the day into plain-English cards like this one.
Educational analysis of public information — not investment advice.
← Today's brief