3 Important Metrics All Costco Stock Investors Need to Know

Core Insights - Costco is a significant player in the global retail market with fiscal 2025 net sales of $270 billion, showcasing its strong long-term performance [1] - The stock has appreciated 540% over the past decade, although it is currently trading 9% below its peak as of January 23 [2] Group 1: Same-Store Sales - Same-store sales (SSS) are crucial for measuring organic revenue growth and management effectiveness [3] - Costco has maintained a positive SSS track record over the last six fiscal years, demonstrating resilience despite economic challenges such as the pandemic and inflation [4] Group 2: Membership Renewal Rates - Costco has 81.4 million members, contributing to a high-margin recurring revenue stream of $1.3 billion in Q1 2026 [5] - The membership renewal rate was 92.2% in the U.S. and Canada and 89.7% globally, though slightly down from the previous quarter due to digital member renewals [6] Group 3: New Warehouse Openings - Costco operates 921 warehouses globally and plans to add 28 net new locations in fiscal 2026, aiming for 30 or more openings annually [8] - New warehouses opened in fiscal 2025 generated an average of $192 million in annualized net sales, reflecting a 28% increase from those opened in fiscal 2023 [9]