Costco Tops Q4 Estimates, Faces Headwinds

Costco topped fourth‑quarter expectations with adjusted EPS of $5.87 versus $5.80 and revenue of about $86.2 billion, roughly 8.2% year‑over‑year growth. Same‑store sales rose 6.4% and e‑commerce comps climbed 13.6%, while membership income increased about 10.4%, underscoring reliance on member loyalty. Management emphasized strength in low‑cost everyday items (including rotisserie chicken and household paper) but provided no specific guidance, and shares slipped about 0.8–0.9% in premarket trading. Costco has begun enforcing a new executive‑member perk—extra early shopping hours—which has drawn mixed reactions even as executive members (about 47% of shoppers, 73% of revenue) remain a key revenue driver. Analysts remain broadly positive but warn of near‑term EPS headwinds and tougher year‑over‑year compares, and retailers face added uncertainty from proposed tariffs and onshoring policies that could affect costs and supply chains.