Costco (COST)
S&P 500 · Nasdaq-100 · Top 100 by market cap · Consumer Staples · data since 1986-07-09 · last close 2026-09-09
Costco (COST) monthly returns (%)
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 9.2 | 7.5 | -1.4 | 1.8 | -5.6 | -2.2 | 1.8 | -0.8 | -4.4 | · | · | · |
| 2025 | 6.9 | 7.1 | -9.8 | 5.2 | 4.7 | -4.8 | -5.1 | 0.5 | -1.9 | -1.4 | 0.2 | -5.6 |
| 2024 | 5.3 | 7.2 | -1.5 | -1.2 | 12.0 | 5.0 | -3.2 | 8.6 | -0.7 | -1.4 | 11.3 | -5.7 |
| 2023 | 12.0 | -5.1 | 2.6 | 1.3 | 1.9 | 5.2 | 4.1 | -1.9 | 2.9 | -2.2 | 7.5 | 13.9 |
| 2022 | -11.0 | 3.0 | 10.9 | -7.5 | -12.3 | 2.8 | 13.1 | -3.5 | -9.5 | 6.4 | 7.5 | -15.3 |
| 2021 | -6.5 | -5.9 | 6.5 | 5.8 | 1.7 | 4.6 | 8.8 | 6.0 | -1.4 | 9.6 | 9.7 | 5.3 |
| 2020 | 4.0 | -7.8 | 1.4 | 6.5 | 1.8 | -1.7 | 7.6 | 6.8 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 9.6 | -1.3 |
| 2019 | 5.4 | 2.2 | 10.7 | 1.4 | -2.2 | 10.3 | 4.3 | 7.2 | -2.3 | 3.4 | 0.9 | -2.0 |
| 2018 | 4.7 | -1.8 | -1.3 | 4.6 | 0.8 | 5.4 | 4.7 | 6.9 | 0.8 | -2.7 | 1.4 | -11.9 |
| 2017 | 2.4 | 8.4 | -5.4 | 5.9 | 6.0 | -11.4 | -0.9 | -0.8 | 4.8 | -1.9 | 14.8 | 0.9 |
| 2016 | -6.4 | -0.5 | 5.0 | -5.7 | 0.4 | 5.6 | 6.5 | -2.8 | -5.9 | -3.0 | 1.8 | 6.7 |
| 2015 | 0.9 | 6.4 | 3.1 | -5.3 | -0.3 | -5.3 | 7.6 | -3.4 | 3.2 | 9.4 | 2.4 | 0.1 |
| 2014 | -5.6 | 4.2 | -4.4 | 3.6 | 0.6 | -0.7 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 6.4 | 6.8 | -0.3 |
| 2013 | 3.7 | -0.8 | 4.8 | 2.2 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 6.2 | -4.5 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 6.6 | -5.1 |
| 2012 | -1.3 | 4.9 | 5.5 | -2.9 | -1.7 | 10.0 | 1.2 | 2.0 | 2.3 | -1.7 | 5.9 | 1.7 |
| 2011 | -0.5 | 4.4 | -2.0 | 10.3 | 2.3 | -1.5 | -3.7 | 0.7 | 4.6 | 1.4 | 2.8 | -2.3 |
| 2010 | -2.9 | 6.5 | -2.1 | -1.1 | -1.1 | -5.9 | 3.4 | -0.0 | 14.1 | -2.4 | 7.7 | 6.8 |
| 2009 | -14.2 | -5.6 | 9.4 | 4.9 | 0.2 | -5.7 | 8.1 | 3.4 | 10.6 | 1.1 | 5.4 | -1.2 |
| 2008 | -2.6 | -8.7 | 4.9 | 9.7 | 0.3 | -1.6 | -10.6 | 7.3 | -3.2 | -12.2 | -9.4 | 2.0 |
| 2007 | 6.2 | -0.3 | -3.7 | -0.2 | 5.4 | 3.6 | 2.4 | 3.3 | -0.6 | 9.6 | 0.4 | 3.5 |
| 2006 | 0.8 | 2.9 | 5.8 | 0.5 | -2.5 | 7.9 | -7.4 | -11.3 | 6.2 | 7.5 | -1.8 | 1.1 |
| 2005 | -2.4 | -1.2 | -5.2 | -8.0 | 12.0 | -1.4 | 2.8 | -5.3 | -0.7 | 12.3 | 3.5 | -1.0 |
| 2004 | -0.7 | 5.2 | -3.2 | -0.3 | 1.3 | 8.7 | -0.9 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 15.5 | 1.6 | -0.4 |
| 2003 | 2.9 | 5.7 | -1.6 | 15.3 | 7.6 | -1.7 | 1.1 | -12.8 | -3.4 | 13.8 | 1.0 | 3.8 |
| 2002 | 3.6 | -10.3 | -3.5 | 0.9 | -2.3 | -1.7 | -9.7 | -4.2 | -3.1 | 4.8 | -4.8 | -13.1 |
| 2001 | 15.8 | -9.7 | -6.0 | -11.0 | 11.4 | 5.6 | 4.8 | -13.1 | -5.0 | 6.4 | 8.1 | 8.6 |
| 2000 | 7.3 | 1.4 | 5.9 | 2.9 | -40.9 | 3.3 | -1.3 | 5.8 | 1.4 | 4.8 | -10.9 | 22.4 |
| 1999 | 14.8 | -3.1 | 14.0 | -11.6 | -10.4 | 10.4 | -6.6 | 0.0 | -3.7 | 11.6 | 14.2 | -0.5 |
| 1998 | -2.8 | 12.7 | 9.2 | 4.7 | 3.6 | 9.0 | -10.0 | -17.1 | 0.7 | 19.8 | 10.6 | 15.0 |
| 1997 | 6.0 | -3.8 | 7.8 | 4.5 | 16.9 | -2.6 | 15.2 | -4.8 | 4.3 | 2.3 | 15.1 | 0.7 |
| 1996 | 2.5 | 10.4 | 8.7 | 1.3 | 5.3 | 8.1 | -5.2 | -3.0 | 3.1 | -3.0 | 17.0 | 8.1 |
| 1995 | 6.8 | -0.9 | 8.3 | -0.8 | -3.4 | 15.0 | 10.4 | -5.9 | 1.5 | -0.7 | -2.2 | -8.3 |
| 1994 | -7.8 | 12.7 | -9.4 | -16.6 | -12.4 | 12.7 | 0.4 | 4.6 | 2.4 | -1.9 | -2.4 | -16.3 |
| 1993 | 3.5 | -10.7 | -0.8 | -12.8 | 0.9 | 16.2 | -6.6 | 19.7 | -0.3 | -6.3 | 7.8 | 0.7 |
| 1992 | -9.0 | 18.0 | -13.0 | -35.1 | 10.7 | -2.2 | 3.0 | -9.6 | 4.1 | 10.2 | 10.6 | -7.0 |
| 1991 | 13.4 | -7.0 | 13.0 | 9.1 | 8.8 | -2.7 | 0.9 | 16.5 | -5.1 | -1.2 | -6.3 | -9.9 |
| 1990 | -14.9 | -2.9 | 1.3 | -11.6 | 12.0 | 8.1 | -3.6 | -16.9 | -12.0 | 6.8 | 22.4 | 2.6 |
| 1989 | 0.0 | -1.3 | -2.0 | 12.4 | 9.2 | -10.1 | 9.4 | 1.7 | -3.4 | 2.6 | 6.0 | -1.1 |
| 1988 | 8.8 | 12.3 | -6.3 | 1.3 | -4.6 | 5.5 | -7.8 | 4.6 | 5.1 | 3.2 | -1.9 | -4.5 |
| 1987 | 18.7 | 13.8 | 8.5 | -11.5 | 1.8 | 3.8 | 6.4 | 4.7 | -7.5 | -33.0 | -12.9 | 21.3 |
| 1986 | · | · | · | · | · | · | -8.5 | -9.3 | -6.2 | 5.1 | 0.0 | -9.0 |
| Avg | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.6 | -0.7 | 1.0 | 2.6 | 1.1 | -0.4 | 0.0 | 2.6 | 4.2 | 0.1 |
Values in %. Current and first-listed months are partial (greyed).
returnsview.com
COST seasonality — average by calendar month
Costco has monthly history back to 1986. Its strongest month by median is November — positive in 30 of 40 years, median +4.5%, and higher in 9 of the last 9. December is the soft spot, down in 21 of 40 with a median of -0.3%. Across its full record it has closed 58% of months higher, swings ±7.7% in an average month and has fallen 61.7% peak to trough.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg | +1.9% | +1.7% | +1.6% | -0.7% | +1.0% | +2.6% | +1.1% | -0.4% | +0.1% | +2.5% | +4.2% | +0.1% |
| Win rate | 60%/40 | 53%/40 | 53%/40 | 57%/40 | 68%/40 | 57%/40 | 61%/41 | 49%/41 | 53%/40 | 62%/40 | 75%/40 | 47%/40 |
Win rate = share of positive months / sample size.
COST risk & extremes
COST drawdown & rolling returns
Percent below the all-time high at each month-end — how far underwater the asset was.
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Frequently asked questions
What was Costco's best month?+
Costco's strongest completed month on record is December 2000, at +22.41%.
What was Costco's worst month?+
Its weakest completed month on record is May 2000, at -40.92%.
Is Costco up this year?+
Costco is up 4.96% year to date, measured from its last close before 1 January.
What is Costco's 1-year return?+
-7.44% over the past twelve months, comparing the latest close with the most recent close on or before the same date a year earlier.
What is Costco's biggest drawdown?+
The deepest peak-to-trough fall on record is 61.7%, measured on month-end closes since 1986.
Which calendar month is historically best for Costco?+
November has the highest average return across every completed November since 1986. An average is not a forecast.
About Costco
Costco is an S&P 500 company, a consumer staples business worth about $400 billion. It monetizes the fact that people never stop buying stuff — with price receipts on this site going back to 1986. And the long game: $100 at its first close here (1986) would be about $14,070 today.
Did you know?
- Its best month on record was December 2000 at +22.41%; its worst, May 2000 at -40.92%.
- It has closed November in the green 30 out of 40 times — calendar astrology, but the fun kind.
Trivia for entertainment — the numbers come from our price data; the jokes don't.