BJ’s sales climb 10%; to open five new clubs — here’s where
BJ’s Wholesale Club Holdings got off to a good start in 2026, helped by strong growth in membership fees and digital, as well as expansion into new markets, including Texas.
The membership warehouse club retailer also announced its next wave of store growth, with openings planned for Kentucky, Florida and Indiana (locations listed at end of article) as part of 12 new clubs planned for 2026 and its ongoing strategy to open 25 to 30 new locations every two years. The expansion strengthens BJ’s presence in the Florida market up to 46 clubs and grows its footprint in the recently launched Kentucky and Indiana markets.
[READ MORE: BJ's makes Texas debut — more locations in the works]
“We are committed to growing our footprint in both new and existing markets to bring the value of a BJ’s Wholesale Club to even more members,” said Bill Werner, executive VP, strategy and development, BJ’s Wholesale Club.
BJ’s noted that its 2026 expansion includes the company’s recent launch in Texas, where it has opened four locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
First Quarter
BJ’s reported that its first-quarter net income decreased 4.7% to $142.7 million in the quarter ended May 2, compared to $149.8 in the year-ago period. Adjusted earnings per share were $1.10, ahead of analyst estimate of $1.03 per share compared to $1.14 per share last year.
Sales rose 9.9% to $5.529 billion, topping analyst estimate of $5.43 billion. Total comparable club sales increased by 6.3%. Excluding the impact of gasoline sales, comparable sales increased by 1.5%. Digitally enabled comparable sales growth was 28%.
Membership fee income increased 10% to a record high of $132.4 million. The increase was primarily driven by strength in membership acquisition, retention and higher-tier membership penetration across both new and existing clubs.
During the quarter, BJ's named Stephanie Reibling as executive VP and chief merchandising officer. Most recently, from 2020 to 2025, she served as senior VP and general merchandise manager at Sam’s Club.
“Our first quarter performance reflects disciplined execution and continued investment in the business," said Laura Felice, executive VP, CFO, BJ’s Wholesale Club. "We delivered solid profitability while growing membership fee income and maintaining our focus on cost management. As we look ahead, our guidance for fiscal 2026 is unchanged, and we remain confident in our ability to invest for long-term growth and deliver sustainable, profitable results.”
For fiscal 2026, BJ’s expects comparable club sales, excluding the impact of gasoline sales, to increase 2.0% to 3.0% year over year. Adjusted earnings per share are expected to range from $4.40 to $4.60.
2026 Openings
The newly announced clubs will be located in:
•Frankfort, Ky.;
•Ocala, Fla.;
•Lecanto, Fla.;
•Port St. Lucie, Fla.; and
•Portage, Ind,
BJ’s currently operates 267 clubs and 205 BJ's Gas locations in 22 states.
