Costco Wholesale beat quarterly estimates on Thursday, recording strong comparable sales growth as inflationary pressures drove consumers to its discount gas stations and boosted demand across its warehouses.

The ​warehouse retailer reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $6.60, excluding a one-time ​15-cent benefit from tariff refunds, beating analysts’ estimates of $6.53, according to ⁠LSEG data.

Quarterly revenue rose about 11 per cent from a year earlier to $95.72 billion, topping Wall ​Street estimates of $94.86 billion. Total same-store sales excluding gas and foreign exchange effects rose ​6.7 per cent, above analysts’ expectations of 6.11 per cent.

Costco has benefited as consumers look to stretch household budgets, with its low-price bulk model and discounted fuel offering helping attract shoppers amid persistent cost pressures.

“It was another ​well-rounded quarter for Costco, with comparable sales growth continuing to lead its big-box ​peers, driven by balanced traffic and average ticket growth,” CFRA analyst Arun Sundaram said.

Gasoline was a key ‌sales ⁠driver, with CEO Ron Vachris saying the business had a “record year.”

Costco gas stations, which usually sell below market value, according to TD Cowen analyst Oliver Chen, have helped pull in price-sensitive customers as the Iran war sends fuel prices soaring.

The company received ​tariff refunds of $184 million ​during the quarter ⁠under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, Costco’s CFO Gary Millerchip said in a post-earnings call.

The refunds were reinvested through price ​reductions on some items, including essentials, meat, beverages and some non-food ​items, CEO ⁠Ron Vachris added.

The retailer has also seen average basket sizes increase as shoppers consolidate their trips to the store, loading up on groceries and other essentials in one visit ⁠rather ​than doing multiple runs.

The company’s shares were flat in ​extended trading. As of Thursday’s close, the stock has risen nearly 4 per cent so far this year.