From COST Investor Relations: "ISSAQUAH, Wash., May 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Costco Wholesale Corporation (“Costco” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: COST) today announced its operating results for the third quarter (twelve weeks) and the first 36 weeks of fiscal 2026, ended May 10, 2026. Net sales for the quarter increased 11.6 percent, to $69.15 billion, from $61.96 billion last year. Net sales for the first 36 weeks increased 9.6 percent, to $203.37 billion, from $185.48 billion last year. Comparable sales for the third quarter and first 36 weeks of fiscal 2026 were as follows: 12 Weeks 12 Weeks 36 Weeks 36 Weeks Adjusted* Adjusted* U.S. 9.4% 6.8% 7.1% 6.4% Canada 10.7% 6.2% 9.1% 7.6% Other International 11.2% 5.9% 11.0% 6.6% Total Company 9.8% 6.6% 7.9% 6.6% Digitally-Enabled 21.5% 20.8% 21.6% 21.1% *Excluding the impacts from changes in gasoline prices and foreign exchange. Net income for the quarter was $2.19 billion, $4.93 per diluted share, compared to $1.90 billion, $4.28 per diluted share, last year. Net income for the first 36 weeks was $6.23 billion, $14.01 per diluted share, compared to $5.49 billion, $12.34 per diluted share, last year. Costco currently operates 931 warehouses, including 639 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 115 in Canada, 43 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 also operates e-commerce sites in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Mexico, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Australia, and China. A conference call to discuss these results is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. (PT) today, May 28, 2026, and is available via a webcast on investor.costco.com (click on “Events & Presentations”)."
AI.....tells me: "Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) reported its fiscal Q3 2026 earnings, posting revenue of \(\$70.53\) billion and net income of \(\$2.19\) billion (or \(\$4.93\) per share). These results beat Wall Street expectations of \(\$69.5\) billion in revenue and \(\$4.91\) per share. [1] Key highlights from the report include: Revenue: Rose 10% year-over-year from \(\$57.39\) billion in the previous year. Comparable Sales: Total comparable sales increased by about 7.9% overall (and 6.5% excluding gas prices and foreign exchange impacts). Memberships: Total memberships and renewals continue to show strength, with the total member count rising and the renewal rate hovering globally around 92%. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
LOL…AI appears to be pretty inaccurate compared to the actual report. Maybe this stuff is overvalued after all.
The MEDIA and market manipulators have unlimited capacity to come up with negativity for the markets. One thing is sure.....there is NO.....magic indicator. This one included. Putting Negative Equity Risk Premiums in Proper Perspective Cut through the math and jargon and you see a valuation metric that isn’t any more telling than others. https://www.fisherinvestments.com/e...ve-equity-risk-premiums-in-proper-perspective ......"overall, we view the nascent ERP fears as false, a freshly mortared brick in this bull market’s wall of worry. Perhaps at some point the ERP will be negative and everyone will laugh it off. Maybe then it will be time to take a close look. But for now, sentiment here looks too dreary.".... I have always invested based on two things......first business results for specific companies, fundamentals......and second.....a very broad based view of the economy and markets. By "markets"...I mean the business world. My view of single measure market predictors......or....very narrow and specific indicators......they are WORTHLESS. I much prefer......THE BIG PICTURE.
Some down in the weeds historic information here about the RAILROAD BOOM. The AI BOOM of the ancient past. There are some good lessons here that will.....NO DOUBT....apply to the current AI BOOM. AND....as an added bonus a chance to learn a little business and financial history. Why would I care about this history? Because the human behavior that is inherent in all history......NEVER changes. A Stock Certificate From 1941 Taught Me More About AI Than Anyone from OpenAI I went down a rabbit hole about 19th-century railroad finance. I came back out thinking differently about everything happening in 2026. https://apersai.substack.com/p/a-stock-certificate-from-1941-taught
Some good advice here. How to Reduce Stock Market Stress https://awealthofcommonsense.com/2026/05/how-to-reduce-stock-market-stress/ ....."your investment process shouldn’t burn you out like this. Constantly checking your portfolio every day is no way to implement a long-term strategy. Create some reasonable investment criteria to guide your actions. Automate as much of it as humanly possible. Stop checking your portfolio all the time. Then go enjoy time with your kids. Life is too short to stress about the markets all the time."..... Sounds like LONG TERM INVESTING....to me.
This STUFF is CRAZY. We saw it a little bit with our kids.....but what is going on now is way beyond what was happening in the 1980's and 1990's. LOL.....one of my grand-kids went to a kids birthday party at age 6 where the goodie bag for each kid had an iPad. AND....kids sports.....TOTALLY off the charts. Sometimes You Don’t Need What You Want https://tonyisola.com/2026/05/sometimes-you-dont-need-what-you-want/ "Keeping up with the Jones’s is a chronic disease. Affordability is a valid economic concern. Needs like housing , food, energy, and healthcare costs continue to rise. What about the wants? Newsday discussed a major ingredient to the crisis. Parent’s racing to keep up with their neighbors plays a not inconsequential role for many American families inability to save."..... LOL....one of my sons friends has kids in youth football......ages 9-12. Even at this level there are probably 8-10 coaches for the team. Offensive and Defensive coordinators, a Head Coach, Scouts, Position Coaches, etc, etc, etc. it is INSANITY.
As to the above....YES....I understand very well what it is like and how it creeps up on you. We had kids in competitive "club" gymnastics and horse showing. Even in music.....I see "stage parents"....very sad and frightening.
Oh right....the markets. Well ALL the big averages are currently GREEN....although very MILD at the moment. A very strong open for me with the gains in MSFT and PLTR. Today reminds me of the market yesterday. Stocks add to May gains Friday with tech leading the way again. The Nasdaq is up 8% for month https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/28/stock-market-today-live-updates.html
AND.....COST after earnings. Way down of course......over $37 and nearly 4%. I have not said it in a while but.....SPLIT THE STOCK....you have been caught in a trading range for years due to the OVERLY HIGH stock price. Think about it.....this ICONIC retail stock.....is priced higher than just about any other stock in the top 50 of the SP500. INVESTORS will NOT pay these kinds of prices for this stock....no matter how good the earnings. THINK ABOUT IT.....I just looked at the price of the top 50 stocks in the SP500. EVERY....ICONIC company in the world....ALL the top tech names....etc, etc, etc,........and BINGO......there is ONLY ONE stock higher priced than COST.....Broadcom. This is RIDICULOUS.....and.....a HUGE rare mistake for COST management. They are SCREWING us shareholders.....of this AMAZING company.
Who are all these people jumping in and out of the FUNDS? I have no clue. U.S. equity funds draw weekly inflows as tech rally lifts sentiment https://finance.yahoo.com/news/u-equity-funds-draw-weekly-133530574.html
One thing about NVDA and their STELLAR management....they do an AMAZING job of capital investment for the future of their business. Nvidia is investing billions into this emerging technology that could change the AI industry https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/29/nvidia-photonics-investment-ai.html
YES......the volatility in individual stocks is now INSANE. A symptom and indicator of the MEDIA driven markets and the disconnect from individual business fundamentals. ALSO an indicator of the nearly TOTAL lack of focus on the type of analysis that investors USED to do. There’s a record disconnect unfolding in the trading pits right now https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/29/the...-unfolding-in-the-trading-pits-right-now.html "Forget a tale of two cities, it’s two different worlds for traders in the U.S. stock market. If you’re tracking index gains in the S&P 500, it’s a slow and steady grind as volatility declines to the lowest since January, with the Cboe Volatility Index (VIX) touching 15.6 Thursday, compared to 35 in March when geopolitical fears drove daily whipsaw moves in the market. If you’ve been trading individual stocks, the roller-coaster ride hasn’t stopped, and in many cases – particularly in tech names – it’s only gotten crazier."..... A confirmation of the.....TRADING MENTALITY....that is rampant in the markets right now. Also a confirmation of the mind set of long term investors.....which is seen in the slow grind of indexes like the SP500. I will not even mention the GAMBLING that is infecting all markets.
As to the above.....IGNORE....the daily NOISE. At times it is now DEAFENING. There is a single pathway to investing success.....a long term focus. It is so simple.....pick great ICONIC stocks that have dominant staying power and the ICONIC Indexes in the form of ETF's.....and invest in them with a LONG TERM FOCUS.
The markets today....even though currently green....I see them as very much in doubt. I suspect that I am currently GREEN....but that is due to just a couple of stocks.....MSFT and PLTR. It is a long day till the close. The best thing I can do is.....just go away and IGNORE it all.....so I will for now.
Same thing for high achieving kids and schools. Some of these kids are going to burn out and burn out HARD. I see it at my school. It's really sad.
YEAH.....in MUSIC....I have seen a good number of stage parents. Bringing their kid to events, shows, jams,......all the time. Lessons. Pushing it to become an obsession for the kid...for a while. In addition the "CUTENESS" factor tends to make adult audience members fawn all over a kid player or singer....even if they are not very good.....creating a growing vicious circle. I feel sorry for the kid. In addition...... I have played with a number of people that were "child prodigies" in some form of music. MOST of them have real issues....from having the label and expectations put on them as a kid. AND...real issues with missing out on getting to be a kid.
Not a very good market today. I ended with a big.....small loss today in my stocks. Kind of a worthless week. I also lost out to the SP500 today in my stocks by 0.61%.
NOW....at the close today....the year to date of my entire account is......+10.03%. Not too bad for FIVE MONTHS. If I can do the same for the rest of the year I would happily take +20% or more and be HAPPY. I dont think that is an unrealistic GOAL for the year starting from here. So my aspirational GOAL for the year is now....+20%. In reality I will just take what i get and usually be happy with it. My FOCUS is on a much longer time span that this year. We come back next week to HIT IT HARD.....for the start to a new month....JUNE.
