Why Costco Stock Rose 12% in January

Shares of retail giant Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST) jumped 12% in January, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. Costco still sits behind behemoths Walmart and Amazon as the largest U.S. retailers, but its differentiated model and consistent performance have made it an excellent stock to own over the years. It's a reliable bet for comps and sales growth any time, but it outperformed itself over the past two years as loyal members increased their shopping, first for essentials at the pandemic breakout and then for cheap prices as inflation made price balloon.