We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience.
This includes personalizing content and advertising.
By pressing "Accept All" or closing out of this banner, you consent to the use of all cookies and similar technologies and the sharing of information they collect with third parties.
You can reject marketing cookies by pressing "Deny Optional," but we still use essential, performance, and functional cookies.
In addition, whether you "Accept All," Deny Optional," click the X or otherwise continue to use the site, you accept our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, revised from time to time.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
If You Invested $1000 in Costco a Decade Ago, This is How Much It'd Be Worth Now
Read MoreHide Full Article
How much a stock's price changes over time is a significant driver for most investors. Not only can price performance impact your portfolio, but it can help you compare investment results across sectors and industries as well.
Another thing that can drive investing is the fear of missing out, or FOMO. This particularly applies to tech giants and popular consumer-facing stocks.
What if you'd invested in Costco (COST - Free Report) ten years ago? It may not have been easy to hold on to COST for all that time, but if you did, how much would your investment be worth today?
Costco's Business In-Depth
With that in mind, let's take a look at Costco's main business drivers.
Based in Issaquah, Washington, Costco Wholesale Corporation sells high volumes of foods and general merchandise (including household products and appliances) at discounted prices through membership warehouses. It is one of the largest warehouse club operators in the United States. The company also operates e-commerce sites in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Australia.
The company’s warehouses offer an array of low-priced nationally branded and select private-labeled products in a wide range of merchandise categories. Costco offers three types of memberships to its customers: Business, Gold Star (individual), and Executive.
As of Jan. 15, 2026, Costco operates 923 warehouses, including 633 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 114 in Canada, 42 in Mexico, 37 in Japan, 29 in the United Kingdom, 20 in Korea, 15 in Australia, 14 in Taiwan, seven in China, five in Spain, three in France, two in Sweden, and one each in Iceland, and New Zealand.
Costco generates revenue from two sources: 1) Store sales (Net sales; 98% of fiscal 2025 total revenue) and 2) Membership fees (MFI; 2% of fiscal 2025 total revenue).
Costco offers a myriad of food products as well as a vast range of household and lifestyle products, stationeries and appliances. The company also sells gasoline to customers at cheap prices. It offers merchandise in the following categories:
Food and Sundries (including dry foods, packaged foods, groceries, snack foods, candy, alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, and cleaning supplies)
Hardlines (including major appliances, electronics, health and beauty aids, hardware, and garden and patio)
Fresh Foods (including meat, produce, deli, and bakery)
Softlines (including apparel and small appliances)
Ancillary (including gasoline and pharmacy businesses).
Bottom Line
While anyone can invest, building a lucrative investment portfolio takes research, patience, and a little bit of risk. If you had invested in Costco ten years ago, you're probably feeling pretty good about your investment today.
A $1000 investment made in February 2016 would be worth $6,851.53, or a 585.15% gain, as of February 16, 2026, according to our calculations. Investors should note that this return excludes dividends but includes price increases.
Compare this to the S&P 500's rally of 266.59% and gold's return of 288.56% over the same time frame.
Looking ahead, analysts are expecting more upside for COST.
Being a consumer defensive stock, Costco has survived the market turmoil pretty well, supported by its resilient membership model, disciplined pricing, and operational excellence. The company's decent renewal rates and expanding member base reinforce its dependable recurring revenue stream, while the Kirkland Signature brand continues to drive margin strength. Robust e-commerce momentum and growing adoption of digital fulfillment services enhance Costco's omnichannel reach, driving traffic. Management's proactive sourcing diversification and supply-chain efficiency further help offset tariff and input-cost pressures without compromising its price leadership. With strong cash flow generation, balance-sheet flexibility, and a proven ability to execute through economic cycles, Costco remains well-positioned to deliver earnings growth.
The stock is up 5.69% over the past four weeks, and no earnings estimate has gone lower in the past two months, compared to 4 higher, for fiscal 2026. The consensus estimate has moved up as well.
Zacks' 7 Best Strong Buy Stocks (New Research Report)
Valued at $99, click below to receive our just-released report
predicting the 7 stocks that will soar highest in the coming month.
View the Zacks #1 Rank List
Image: Bigstock
If You Invested $1000 in Costco a Decade Ago, This is How Much It'd Be Worth Now
How much a stock's price changes over time is a significant driver for most investors. Not only can price performance impact your portfolio, but it can help you compare investment results across sectors and industries as well.
Another thing that can drive investing is the fear of missing out, or FOMO. This particularly applies to tech giants and popular consumer-facing stocks.
What if you'd invested in Costco (COST - Free Report) ten years ago? It may not have been easy to hold on to COST for all that time, but if you did, how much would your investment be worth today?
Costco's Business In-Depth
With that in mind, let's take a look at Costco's main business drivers.
Based in Issaquah, Washington, Costco Wholesale Corporation sells high volumes of foods and general merchandise (including household products and appliances) at discounted prices through membership warehouses. It is one of the largest warehouse club operators in the United States. The company also operates e-commerce sites in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Australia.
The company’s warehouses offer an array of low-priced nationally branded and select private-labeled products in a wide range of merchandise categories. Costco offers three types of memberships to its customers: Business, Gold Star (individual), and Executive.
As of Jan. 15, 2026, Costco operates 923 warehouses, including 633 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 114 in Canada, 42 in Mexico, 37 in Japan, 29 in the United Kingdom, 20 in Korea, 15 in Australia, 14 in Taiwan, seven in China, five in Spain, three in France, two in Sweden, and one each in Iceland, and New Zealand.
Costco generates revenue from two sources: 1) Store sales (Net sales; 98% of fiscal 2025 total revenue) and 2) Membership fees (MFI; 2% of fiscal 2025 total revenue).
Costco offers a myriad of food products as well as a vast range of household and lifestyle products, stationeries and appliances. The company also sells gasoline to customers at cheap prices. It offers merchandise in the following categories:
Food and Sundries (including dry foods, packaged foods, groceries, snack foods, candy, alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, and
cleaning supplies)
Hardlines (including major appliances, electronics, health and beauty aids, hardware, and garden and patio)
Fresh Foods (including meat, produce, deli, and bakery)
Softlines (including apparel and small appliances)
Ancillary (including gasoline and pharmacy businesses).
Bottom Line
While anyone can invest, building a lucrative investment portfolio takes research, patience, and a little bit of risk. If you had invested in Costco ten years ago, you're probably feeling pretty good about your investment today.
A $1000 investment made in February 2016 would be worth $6,851.53, or a 585.15% gain, as of February 16, 2026, according to our calculations. Investors should note that this return excludes dividends but includes price increases.
Compare this to the S&P 500's rally of 266.59% and gold's return of 288.56% over the same time frame.
Looking ahead, analysts are expecting more upside for COST.
Being a consumer defensive stock, Costco has survived the market turmoil pretty well, supported by its resilient membership model, disciplined pricing, and operational excellence. The company's decent renewal rates and expanding member base reinforce its dependable recurring revenue stream, while the Kirkland Signature brand continues to drive margin strength. Robust e-commerce momentum and growing adoption of digital fulfillment services enhance Costco's omnichannel reach, driving traffic. Management's proactive sourcing diversification and supply-chain efficiency further help offset tariff and input-cost pressures without compromising its price leadership. With strong cash flow generation, balance-sheet flexibility, and a proven ability to execute through economic cycles, Costco remains well-positioned to deliver earnings growth.
The stock is up 5.69% over the past four weeks, and no earnings estimate has gone lower in the past two months, compared to 4 higher, for fiscal 2026. The consensus estimate has moved up as well.