Investors who deployed $1,000 in Costco stock 20 years ago would now hold a position valued at $27,600 when including dividends, a more than threefold outperformance relative to a $7,900 return from the S&P 500 over the same period. This long-term success reflects Costco’s disciplined low‐price, membership‐driven model, which has delivered compound annual growth rates in the mid‐teens for total shareholder return over the past two decades. The combination of modest dividend yield and consistent share repurchases has further amplified compounded gains for patient shareholders.

Even after a 6% share‐price decline in 2025, Costco reported an 8.2% increase in net sales for its fiscal Q1 2026 (ended November 23, 2025), driven by broad-based strength across both domestic and international warehouses. The company added 3.4 million new Gold Star members and upgraded 1.2 million existing members to Executive status in the quarter, pushing total paid memberships past 105 million and sustaining renewal rates near 90%. Management reiterated guidance for high-single-digit comparable sales growth for the full fiscal year, underpinned by resilient consumer demand for bulk purchasing and food‐court offerings.

Costco quietly lifted its branded credit card fuel rewards from 4% to 5% cash back at its own gas stations, effective January 2026, with the enhanced rate applicable on the first $7,000 of annual fuel spend—up from a previous cash‐back cap that maxed out at $280 per year. The change increases potential annual savings from fuel to $350, while non‐Costco gas and electric vehicle charging still earn 4%. This move is expected to spur further uptake of the Costco Anywhere Visa Card, deepening member loyalty and boosting net interest income for the co‐branding partner.

Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma filed a disclosure on January 16 showing he purchased between $15,001 and $50,000 of Costco shares on December 29, 2025. This marks the Senator’s first reported stake in the retailer, joining a broader pattern of high‐profile investors adding to positions in membership‐based retail. While the purchase represents a small fraction of overall institutional ownership, it underscores continued confidence in Costco’s long‐term business model among both private and public figures.