Costco's September Sales Show Its Edge in Value Retailing

Costco Wholesale Corporation COST sustained its steady comparable sales growth in September, reflecting its ongoing strength with value-conscious consumers. The company’s competitive pricing and quality merchandise — available both in-store and through its expanding e-commerce platform — continue to resonate with shoppers.

A Sneak Peek Into Costco’s September Comparable Sales

For the five weeks ended Oct. 5, 2025, Costco reported a 5.7% year-over-year increase in total company comparable sales. Regionally, comparable sales rose 5.1% in the United States, 6.3% in Canada and 8.5% in Other International markets. This follows total comparable sales growth of 6.3% in August and 6.4% in July, signaling consistent momentum.

On an adjusted basis, excluding the impacts of gasoline price fluctuations and foreign exchange, U.S. comps climbed 5%, while Canada and Other International markets posted increases of 9.3% and 7.5%, respectively. Overall, total company comps, excluding these factors, grew 6%, following strong rises of 6.9% in August and 7% in July.

Digitally-enabled comparable sales surged 26.1% or 26.3% when adjusted for fuel and currency headwinds. This builds on gains of 18.4% in August and 15.1% in July, reflecting sustained strength in Costco’s online channel.

As a result, Costco's net sales for September increased 8% to $26.58 billion, up from $24.62 billion in the same period last year. This follows a sales improvement of 8.7% and 8.5% reported in August and July, respectively.

What’s Fueling Costco’s Momentum?

Membership Power: Costco’s membership-based model, characterized by high renewal rates, fosters a loyal customer base that consistently returns.

Competitive Pricing: Bulk purchasing and efficient supply-chain management enable the retailer to maintain sharp pricing, a significant advantage in a high-inflation environment.

Strong Value Proposition: Customers trust Costco for quality products at attractive prices, driving both in-store and online traffic.

Shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have advanced 2.3% over the past year, outperforming the Retail – Discount Stores industry’s 4.1% rise.

Picks You Can’t Miss Out On

Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. SFM, a U.S. grocery chain focused on fresh, natural and organic products, has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). SFM has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 13.4%, on average. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Sprouts Farmers’ current financial-year sales and earnings implies growth of 15.7% and 40.8%, respectively, from the year-ago reported numbers.

The TJX Companies, Inc. TJX, the leading off-price apparel and home fashion retailer in the United States and worldwide, currently carries a Zacks Rank #2. TJX has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 5.4%, on average. 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for The TJX Companies’ current financial-year sales and earnings calls for growth of 6.5% and 8.9%, respectively, from the year-ago reported numbers.

Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. GO, an extreme value retailer of quality, name-brand consumables and fresh products, carries a Zacks Rank #2. GO has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 28.2%, on average. 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Grocery Outlet’s current financial-year sales and earnings suggests growth of 8.3% and 1.3%, respectively, from the year-ago reported numbers.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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