Costco (COST) stock
Consumer Staples · Consumer Staples Merchandise Retail
Costco (COST) is a Consumer Staples Merchandise Retail company in the Consumer Staples sector, headquartered in Issaquah, Washington. As of October 23, 2026, COST closed at $1,003.32, a market capitalization of $444.60 billion, the 24th largest company in the S&P 500. Over the last twelve months it generated $303.15 billion in revenue (+11% year over year) and $9.38 billion in free cash flow. The stock trades at 48.3x trailing earnings and 40.1x forward earnings.
- 1-year total return: +7.1% (dividends reinvested)
- 5-year return: +17.0% a year
- 52-week range: $844.06 – $1,096.50
- Gross margin 12.8%, operating margin 3.8%
- Dividend yield: 0.59%, 21 straight years of increases
- FI Handbook report card: C- across 10 metrics
- 2nd largest of 34 Consumer Staples stocks in the S&P 500
COST price chart
1Y price change: +6.5% (price only; total returns below include dividends)
| Total return | 1M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | 10Y | MAX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COST | +10.9% | +16.9% | +7.1% | +23.6% | +17.0% | +23.1% | +13.0% |
Dividends reinvested. 3Y and longer are annualized; MAX is annualized since 1986.
COST key statistics
- Market cap
- $444.6B
- #24 in S&P 500
- P/E (TTM)
- 48.3x
- Forward P/E
- 40.1x
- EPS (TTM)
- $20.76
- Revenue (TTM)
- $303.2B
- +11%
- Free cash flow
- $9.4B
- Gross margin
- 12.8%
- Operating margin
- 3.8%
- Return on equity
- 28.4%
- Dividend yield
- 0.59%
- 52-week range
- $844.06 – $1,097
- Beta
- 0.87
- Price / sales
- 1.5x
- EV / EBITDA
- 30.6x
- Debt / equity
- 0.28x
- Employees
- 355,000
COST report card
C-Ten fundamentals graded A to F against fixed thresholds. Not a buy or sell rating.
- Revenue growth11.1%B
- Gross margin12.8%F
- Operating margin3.8%D
- FCF margin3.1%D
- Return on equity28.4%A
- Net debt / EBITDA-0.8xA
- Forward P/E40.1xF
- PEG ratio4.4xF
- Shareholder yield0.8%D
- Share count change / yr0.0%C
Costco Wholesale financials
Revenue went from $129.0B in fiscal 2017 to $303.2B in fiscal 2026, growing 10.0% a year.
| Fiscal year | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $129.0B | $141.6B | $152.7B | $166.8B | $195.9B | $227.0B | $242.3B | $254.5B | $275.2B | $303.2B |
| Gross profit | $17.1B | $18.4B | $16.5B | $21.8B | $25.2B | $27.6B | $29.7B | $32.1B | $35.3B | $38.9B |
| Operating income | $4.1B | $4.5B | $4.7B | $5.4B | $6.7B | $7.8B | $8.1B | $9.3B | $10.4B | $11.7B |
| Net income | $2.7B | $3.1B | $3.7B | $4.0B | $5.0B | $5.8B | $6.3B | $7.4B | $8.1B | $9.2B |
| EPS (diluted) | $6.08 | $7.09 | $8.26 | $9.02 | $11.27 | $13.14 | $14.16 | $16.56 | $18.21 | $20.76 |
| Free cash flow | $4.2B | $2.8B | $3.4B | $6.1B | $5.4B | $3.5B | $6.7B | $6.6B | $7.8B | $9.4B |
| Buybacks | $469.0M | $328.0M | $247.0M | $196.0M | $496.0M | $439.0M | $676.0M | $700.0M | $903.0M | $848.0M |
| Dividends paid | $3.9B | $689.0M | $1.0B | $1.5B | $5.7B | $1.5B | $1.3B | $9.0B | $2.2B | $2.5B |
| Diluted shares | 440.9M | 441.8M | 442.9M | 443.9M | 444.3M | 444.8M | 444.5M | 444.8M | 444.8M | 444.4M |
Source: SEC filings (10-K XBRL). EPS and share counts are split-adjusted.
What's priced into COST?
A reverse DCF asks what growth the current price requires. With an enterprise value of $433.5B and $9.4B of trailing free cash flow, Costco Wholesale needs to grow free cash flow about 32.4% a year for ten years (fading to 3.0% terminal growth) to earn a 10% annual return. For context, free cash flow grew 11.8% a year over the last five years.
P/E ratio history
Current 55.1x vs. median 32.6x (10th–90th percentile 25.1x–52.7x).
A model, not a forecast or advice. Small changes in assumptions move the answer a lot.
COST dividend
- Dividend yield
- 0.59%
- Annual dividend
- $5.88
- Years of increases
- 21
- 5-yr dividend growth
- 13.0%
- per year
- Payout ratio
- 27%
- Payments per year
- 4
Regular dividends per share by calendar year; special dividends excluded. Current year omitted until complete.
COST analyst price targets
37 analysts' average 12-month target is $1,068 (+6% vs. $1,003). Targets range from $770.00 to $1,315.
COST earnings
Next report: December 10, 2026. Costco Wholesale has beaten EPS estimates 1 quarters in a row. Last quarter's revenue was $95.7B (+11% year over year).
| Report date | EPS estimate | EPS actual | Surprise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 24, 2026 | $6.53 | $6.75 | +3.4% |
| May 28, 2026 | $4.97 | $4.93 | -0.8% |
| Mar 5, 2026 | $4.55 | $4.58 | +0.7% |
| Dec 11, 2025 | $4.27 | $4.50 | +5.5% |
| Sep 25, 2025 | $5.80 | $5.87 | +1.1% |
| May 29, 2025 | $4.23 | $4.28 | +1.2% |
| Mar 6, 2025 | $4.10 | $4.02 | -1.9% |
| Dec 12, 2024 | $3.80 | $4.04 | +6.4% |
Stocks like COST
| Name | Today | 1Y | Mkt cap | P/E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 WMT Walmart | -1.02% | +13% | $954.1B | 43.4x | Compare |
 TGT Target | -3.38% | +69% | $69.4B | 15.9x | Compare |
 DG Dollar General | -4.62% | +31% | $29.3B | 17.2x | Compare |
 DLTR Dollar Tree | -4.37% | +25% | $23.5B | 15.3x | Compare |
 KO Coca-Cola | -2.76% | +36% | $398.9B | 27.8x | Compare |
 PG Procter & Gamble | -2.76% | +10% | $373.2B | 24.3x | Compare |
 PM Philip Morris International | -1.13% | +31% | $310.9B | 29.1x | Compare |
 PEP Pepsico | -2.20% | -7% | $185.0B | 17.1x | Compare |
COST news
- Costco sees massive surge in cruise vacation offerings · Oct 24, 2026
- Costco Wholesale (COST) Adds AI Smartphone Gimbal To Member Only Shelves · Oct 24, 2026
- Prediction: $5,000 in Costco Stock Will Trail the Market Through 2030 · Oct 23, 2026
- She Built a $100 Million Business in 7 Years. Here’s How She Scaled From Scrappy Startup to Costco and Whole Foods. · Oct 23, 2026
- REJURAN® COSMETICS Expands U.S. Retail Presence Through Costco's First-Ever Beauty Table Program · Oct 23, 2026
COST stock FAQ
What is COST's market cap?
Costco's market capitalization is $444.60 billion as of October 23, 2026, ranking 24th in the S&P 500.
What is COST's P/E ratio?
COST trades at a trailing price-to-earnings ratio of 48.3x and a forward P/E of 40.1x. Its median P/E over the period we track is 32.6x.
Does COST pay a dividend?
Yes. Costco pays $5.88 per share a year, a 0.59% yield. It has raised its dividend 21 years in a row. Dividends grew 13.0% a year over the last five years.
How much has COST stock returned?
Including reinvested dividends, COST returned +7.1% over one year, +17.0% a year over five years, +23.1% a year over ten years through October 23, 2026.
Is COST stock overvalued?
At today's price, a reverse discounted cash flow model (10% discount rate, 3% terminal growth) implies Costco must grow free cash flow about 32% a year for the next decade. Its free cash flow grew 12% a year over the last five years. Whether that is achievable decides if the stock is cheap or expensive. This is a model, not advice.
What is the COST price target?
37 analysts cover COST with an average 12-month price target of $1,067.59, +6% from the current price.
When does COST report earnings?
Costco is expected to report earnings on December 10, 2026. It has beaten EPS estimates 1 quarters in a row.
How many employees does Costco have?
Costco has about 355,000 full-time employees, or $853,955 of revenue per employee.
Sources: SEC EDGAR filings, Yahoo Finance market data (delayed), FI Handbook calculations. Last close October 23, 2026. Methodology