Costco Membership Grows to 81 Million, Operating Income Up 12.2%
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1d ago
0mins
Source: Yahoo Finance
- Significant Membership Growth: Costco's paid membership rose from 76.2 million in 2024 to 81 million in 2025, reaching 81.4 million by the end of the first quarter, demonstrating the company's strong ability to attract and retain customers, thereby solidifying its market position.
- Operating Income Increase: Costco's operating income grew by 12.2% year-over-year to approximately $2.5 billion, driven by both membership fees and merchandise sales, reflecting the efficiency and profitability of its business model.
- Substantial Expansion Potential: Costco consistently opens 20 to 30 new locations annually, with a total of 923 warehouses at the end of the first quarter, including 633 in the U.S., indicating its ongoing capacity for domestic and international growth with ample room for future expansion.
- Clear Competitive Advantage: Costco attracts shoppers with low prices and high-quality products, achieving a same-store sales increase of 6.4% in the first fiscal quarter, maintaining strong sales performance in a competitive retail environment and further enhancing its market competitiveness.
Analyst Views on COST
Wall Street analysts forecast COST stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for COST is 1061 USD with a low forecast of 769.00 USD and a high forecast of 1205 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
24 Analyst Rating
19 Buy
4 Hold
1 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 982.860
Low
769.00
Averages
1061
High
1205
Current: 982.860
Low
769.00
Averages
1061
High
1205
About COST
Costco Wholesale Corporation (Costco) operates membership warehouses and e-commerce sites that offer a selection of nationally branded and private-label products in a wide range of categories. The Company buys the majority of its merchandise directly from suppliers and route it to cross-docking consolidation points (depots) or directly to its warehouses. It operates 891 warehouses, including 614 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 108 in Canada, 40 in Mexico, 35 in Japan, 29 in the United Kingdom, 19 in Korea, 15 in Australia, 14 in Taiwan, seven in China, five in Spain, two in France, and one each in Iceland, New Zealand and Sweden. It also operates e-commerce sites in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Australia. The Company provides wide selection of merchandise, plus the convenience of specialty departments and exclusive member services.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
