Story summary
Costco reported a significant sales increase of 11.2% in the quarter ending August 31, with net sales reaching $93.9 billion, compared to $84.4 billion last year. The company attributes this growth to consumers looking for ways to stretch their dollars amid rising living costs. Costco’s membership fees also grew by about 7% to $1.85 billion, despite no changes in membership prices since 2024. CFO Gary Millerchip highlighted that Costco now has a total of 84.1 million paid members, up 3.8% from the previous year. This surge in memberships and sales comes as higher living expenses force Canadian households to cut back on non-essential items, even impacting dining out habits among higher-income Canadians.
Written for “Costco Sales Increase” on 2026-10-06,
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Costco‘s latest quarterly earnings report, released late Thursday, showed a jump in sales from a year earlier as the company describes consumers looking to stretch their dollars as far as they can.
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they → release → dollars
This comes as the heightened cost of living in Canada forces many households to cut back on some non-essential items and experiences, with a report released earlier this week showing even higher-income Canadians are dining out less than a year ago.
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Canadians → come → report
In the three months leading up to the end of August, Costco says net sales increased 11.2 percent to US$93.9 billion from $84.4 billion last year.
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sales → lead → billion
Meanwhile, membership fees totalled $1.85 billion, up about seven per cent from $1.724 billion in the same quarter of 2025.
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fees → total → 2025
Costco’s membership fees have not changed since an increase in 2024.
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fees → change → 2024
Speaking during a conference call with analysts after the earnings release, chief financial officer Gary Millerchip said that Costco has 84.1 million paid members in total, up 3.8 per cent from a year earlier.
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Costco → speak → total
Costco said it believes its focus on value offerings is driving consumers to them for more of their shopping because they want to make sure that if they have to spend their money, they are getting the most they can in return.
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they → say → return
Consumers are also grappling with high prices for many everyday items, including groceries, as consumer inflation in Canada and the U.S. was last measured in August at three per cent and 3.4 per cent, respectively.
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inflation → grapple → cent
The war in Iran and AI spending are putting pressure on prices for oil, gas, and related by products and well as electronics and components like memory chips.
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war → put → chips
This, Costco said, has led to higher prices in some categories.
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Costco → say → categories
“So gas prices, which we include in our inflation number, and petroleum-based items as well, So those would be the areas where we would’ve seen the increase in non-foods.”
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we → include → foods
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Despite some areas where prices have increased, Costco said its members are still willing to open their wallets if they feel they are getting good value.
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they → get → value
“We see members being very thoughtful about where they’re spending their dollars,” said Millerchip.
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Millerchip → see → dollars
“They’re looking for value in everyday items.
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They → look → items
But they’re also, as I mentioned, willing to spend on items where they see it’s a great value, even if it is in some of those non-discretionary categories.”
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it → ’re → categories
Millerchip continued and said there was more-than 50 per cent growth in sales of “non-foods,” and included examples ranging from tires to houseware and furniture, to health and beauty items, small appliances, and even massage chairs and saunas.
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Millerchip → continue → items
He also said that within the food section, there has been steady sales growth in “lower-cost proteins” as consumers look to fill the fridge while saving money.
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consumers → say → money
At the same time, Millerchip said another example of consumers being willing to spend more if there is greater perceived value was more demand for premium or “indulgent” food products.
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consumers → say → products
“Similarly, I would say in fresh, everyday items, it really shows up in ground beef and poultry, but then on premium items in USDA Prime and Wagyu beef,” he said.
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he → say → Prime
“Also in bakery, we see tremendous strength in bakery, where we are offering really great quality, indulgent items for members to buy.
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members → see → items
I think it shows up in all the different categories.”
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it → think → categories
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