(COST) Costco Wholesale - Overview

Sector: Consumer Defensive | Industry: Discount Stores | Exchange: NASDAQ (USA) | Market Cap: 450.510m USD | Total Return: 12.8% in 12m

Groceries, Electronics, Apparel, Home Goods, Gas
Total Rating 62
Safety 79
Buy Signal 0.40
Discount Stores
Industry Rotation: -2.9
Market Cap: 451B
Avg Turnover: 1.50B USD
ATR: 1.74%
Peers RS (IBD): 48.4
Risk 5d forecast
Volatility20.0%
Rel. Tail Risk-4.38%
Reward TTM
Sharpe Ratio0.17
Alpha-4.87
Character TTM
Beta0.487
Beta Downside1.091
Drawdowns 3y
Max DD20.74%
CAGR/Max DD1.41
EPS (Earnings per Share) EPS (Earnings per Share) of COST over the last years for every Quarter: "2021-02": 2.75, "2021-05": null, "2021-08": 3.9, "2021-11": 2.98, "2022-02": 3.17, "2022-05": null, "2022-08": 4.2, "2022-11": 3.1, "2023-02": 2.93, "2023-05": null, "2023-08": 4.86, "2023-11": 3.58, "2024-02": 3.71, "2024-05": 3.78, "2024-08": 5.29, "2024-11": 4.04, "2025-02": 4.28, "2025-05": 4.28, "2025-08": 5.87, "2025-11": 4.5, "2026-02": 4.58,
EPS CAGR: 12.14%
EPS Trend: 71.3%
Last SUE: 0.47
Qual. Beats: 0
Revenue Revenue of COST over the last years for every Quarter: 2021-02: 44769, 2021-05: 45277, 2021-08: 62675, 2021-11: 50363, 2022-02: 51904, 2022-05: 52596, 2022-08: 72091, 2022-11: 54437, 2023-02: 55266, 2023-05: 53648, 2023-08: 78939, 2023-11: 57799, 2024-02: 58442, 2024-05: 58515, 2024-08: 79697, 2024-11: 62151, 2025-02: 63723, 2025-05: 63205, 2025-08: 86156, 2025-11: 67307, 2026-02: 69597,
Rev. CAGR: 7.75%
Rev. Trend: 48.6%
Last SUE: 0.61
Qual. Beats: 0

Warnings

No concerns identified

Tailwinds

No distinct edge detected

Description: COST Costco Wholesale

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates membership-based warehouses globally, offering a wide range of products including groceries, general merchandise, and fresh food. This business model, common in the warehouse club sector, relies on membership fees for a significant portion of its profits.

Beyond core retail, Costco provides ancillary services such as gasoline stations, pharmacies, and optical centers. The company also engages in e-commerce and business-to-business operations.

For further analysis of Costcos financial performance, ValueRay offers detailed metrics and historical data.

Headlines to Watch Out For
  • Membership fee growth drives consistent, high-margin revenue
  • Global expansion into new markets boosts sales volume
  • Fuel price volatility impacts transportation and consumer spending
  • Wage inflation pressures operating costs and profitability
  • E-commerce growth expands reach beyond physical warehouses
Piotroski VR‑10 (Strict) 5.5
Net Income: 8.55b TTM > 0 and > 6% of Revenue
FCF/TA: 0.11 > 0.02 and ΔFCF/TA 1.42 > 1.0
NWC/Revenue: 0.83% < 20% (prev -0.04%; Δ 0.87% < -1%)
CFO/TA 0.18 > 3% & CFO 15.01b > Net Income 8.55b
Net Debt (-9.15b) to EBITDA (14.07b): -0.65 < 3
Current Ratio: 1.06 > 1.5 & < 3
Outstanding Shares: last quarter (444.5m) vs 12m ago -0.08% < -2%
Gross Margin: 12.93% > 18% (prev 0.13%; Δ 1.28k% > 0.5%)
Asset Turnover: 365.0% > 50% (prev 360.7%; Δ 4.33% > 0%)
Interest Coverage Ratio: 77.52 > 6 (EBITDA TTM 14.07b / Interest Expense TTM 149.0m)
Altman Z'' 2.63
A: 0.03 (Total Current Assets 43.13b - Total Current Liabilities 40.76b) / Total Assets 83.64b
B: 0.30 (Retained Earnings 25.12b / Total Assets 83.64b)
C: 0.15 (EBIT TTM 11.55b / Avg Total Assets 78.43b)
D: 0.46 (Book Value of Equity 23.52b / Total Liabilities 51.55b)
Altman-Z'' Score: 2.63 = A
Beneish M -3.01
DSRI: 1.14 (Receivables 3.78b/3.06b, Revenue 286.26b/264.09b)
GMI: 0.98 (GM 12.93% / 12.67%)
AQI: 0.90 (AQ_t 0.05 / AQ_t-1 0.05)
SGI: 1.08 (Revenue 286.26b / 264.09b)
TATA: -0.08 (NI 8.55b - CFO 15.01b) / TA 83.64b)
Beneish M-Score: -3.01 (Cap -4..+1) = AA
What is the price of COST shares? As of April 07, 2026, the stock is trading at USD 1018.55 with a total of 1,448,493 shares traded.
Over the past week, the price has changed by +2.20%, over one month by +2.05%, over three months by +14.72% and over the past year by +12.77%.
Is COST a buy, sell or hold? Costco Wholesale has received a consensus analysts rating of 3.97. Therefore, it is recommended to buy COST.
  • StrongBuy: 17
  • Buy: 5
  • Hold: 15
  • Sell: 0
  • StrongSell: 1
What are the forecasts/targets for the COST price?
Analysts Target Price 1067.1 4.8%
Costco Wholesale (COST) - Fundamental Data Overview as of 04 April 2026
P/E Trailing = 52.9176
P/E Forward = 49.0196
P/S = 1.5738
P/B = 13.779
P/EG = 5.5159
Revenue TTM = 286.26b USD
EBIT TTM = 11.55b USD
EBITDA TTM = 14.07b USD
Long Term Debt = 5.69b USD (from longTermDebt, last quarter)
Short Term Debt = 72.0m USD (from shortTermDebt, last quarter)
Debt = 8.24b USD (from shortLongTermDebtTotal, last quarter)
Net Debt = -9.15b USD (from netDebt column, last quarter)
Enterprise Value = 440.51b USD (450.51b + Debt 8.24b - CCE 18.24b)
Interest Coverage Ratio = 77.52 (Ebit TTM 11.55b / Interest Expense TTM 149.0m)
EV/FCF = 48.41x (Enterprise Value 440.51b / FCF TTM 9.10b)
FCF Yield = 2.07% (FCF TTM 9.10b / Enterprise Value 440.51b)
FCF Margin = 3.18% (FCF TTM 9.10b / Revenue TTM 286.26b)
Net Margin = 2.99% (Net Income TTM 8.55b / Revenue TTM 286.26b)
Gross Margin = 12.93% ((Revenue TTM 286.26b - Cost of Revenue TTM 249.26b) / Revenue TTM)
Gross Margin QoQ = 12.76% (prev 13.07%)
Tobins Q-Ratio = 5.27 (Enterprise Value 440.51b / Total Assets 83.64b)
Interest Expense / Debt = 0.40% (Interest Expense 33.0m / Debt 8.24b)
Taxrate = 25.21% (686.0m / 2.72b)
NOPAT = 8.64b (EBIT 11.55b * (1 - 25.21%))
Current Ratio = 1.06 (Total Current Assets 43.13b / Total Current Liabilities 40.76b)
Debt / Equity = 0.26 (Debt 8.24b / totalStockholderEquity, last quarter 32.09b)
Debt / EBITDA = -0.65 (Net Debt -9.15b / EBITDA 14.07b)
Debt / FCF = -1.01 (Net Debt -9.15b / FCF TTM 9.10b)
Total Stockholder Equity = 29.67b (last 4 quarters mean from totalStockholderEquity)
RoA = 10.90% (Net Income 8.55b / Total Assets 83.64b)
RoE = 28.81% (Net Income TTM 8.55b / Total Stockholder Equity 29.67b)
RoCE = 32.67% (EBIT 11.55b / Capital Employed (Equity 29.67b + L.T.Debt 5.69b))
RoIC = 24.43% (NOPAT 8.64b / Invested Capital 35.37b)
WACC = 7.56% (E(450.51b)/V(458.75b) * Re(7.69%) + D(8.24b)/V(458.75b) * Rd(0.40%) * (1-Tc(0.25)))
Discount Rate = 7.69% (= CAPM, Blume Beta Adj.) -> floored to rf + 0.7*ERP = 7.92%
Shares Correlation 3-Years: -81.65 | Cagr: -0.05%
[DCF] Terminal Value 82.84% ; FCFF base≈8.23b ; Y1≈9.99b ; Y5≈16.40b
[DCF] Fair Price = 721.1 (EV 310.79b - Net Debt -9.15b = Equity 319.94b / Shares 443.7m; r=7.56% [WACC]; 5y FCF grow 22.80% → 3.0% )
EPS Correlation: 71.35 | EPS CAGR: 12.14% | SUE: 0.47 | # QB: 0
Revenue Correlation: 48.62 | Revenue CAGR: 7.75% | SUE: 0.61 | # QB: 0
EPS next Quarter (2026-05-31): EPS=4.90 | Chg7d=+0.001 | Chg30d=+0.016 | Revisions Net=+12 | Analysts=31
EPS current Year (2026-08-31): EPS=20.44 | Chg7d=+0.002 | Chg30d=+0.043 | Revisions Net=+20 | Growth EPS=+12.2% | Growth Revenue=+8.4%
EPS next Year (2027-08-31): EPS=22.47 | Chg7d=+0.002 | Chg30d=+0.138 | Revisions Net=+22 | Growth EPS=+9.9% | Growth Revenue=+7.7%
[Analyst] Revisions Ratio: +0.50 (18 Up / 6 Down within 30d for Next Quarter)
[Growth] Implied Growth Rate = 6.0% (Discount Rate 7.9% - Earnings Yield 1.9%)
[Growth] Growth Spread = +2.7% (Analyst 8.7% - Implied 6.0%)
External Resources
Dataroma Stockcircle