Mostly Markets
Subscribe
Markets
S&P 500 ▼ 1.82%Nasdaq ▼ 2.86%Dow ▼ 1.09%Russell 2000 ▼ 1.66%10-year 4.93%Oil ▲ 0.93%Gold ▼ 3.63%Bitcoin ▲ 1.13%
Newest story
Stocks/Consumer Staples/Consumer Staples Merchandise Retail

CostcoCOST

Consumer Staples Merchandise Retail · Issaquah, Washington · In the S&P 500
Pricier than peers
$1,012.28+1.78%After hours: $1,011.20 (−0.11%)At the close, 30 Oct · Prices from CNBC, may be delayed
▲ 10.9% over 1 year
Costco over 1 yearDaily close, $, to 30 Oct 2026
$900$1,100Nov2026MarMayJulSep$1,012$900$1,100NovMarJul$1,012
Source: Nasdaq daily closes
Market value$449B
Price to earnings48.8x
Forward P/E44.4x
Dividend yield0.58%
Year to date+17.4%
One year+10.9%
Next earningsNot scheduled
SectorConsumer Staples
52-week range (closes)
$850.00$1,094.32

The latest on Costco

Our stories first, then the headlines that could move it, newest first.

We haven't written about Costco yet. Follow it, and its first story will show under My stocks.

Quality and valuation

How Costco compares with other consumer staples stocks. A description, not a recommendation.

Costco and 4 consumer staples merchandise retail peers. Across: valuation (P/E) against the sector. Up: business quality against the sector. Hover or tap a logo for its numbers.

Business quality: weaker than mostValuation: pricier than most

A weaker business than most consumer staples companies, priced above most of them.

Costco trades at 44.4 times the next 12 months of expected earnings, against a median of 16.6x for the 35 consumer staples stocks we cover. The quality score blends where it ranks on revenue growth, gross margin, operating margin and free-cash-flow margin (net margin for banks and insurers) over the last 12 months, from SEC filings.

  • Revenue grew faster than the sector median: +10.1% vs +4.9%
  • Keeps less of each sale (gross margin): 12.8% vs 40.5%
  • Less profitable (operating margin): 3.9% vs 13.6%
  • Turns less of its sales into cash: 3.1% vs 10.3%
COST trades at 44.4x forward earnings, above the sector medianForward p/e, Consumer Staples Merchandise Retail peers
DG16.5xTGT16.7xDLTR19.5xWMT41.1xCOST44.4xSector median 16.6xDG16.5xTGT16.7xDLTR19.5xWMT41.1xCOST44.4xSector median 16.6x
Source: CNBC quotes; Mostly Markets
At 48.8x earnings, COST is cheaper than its average since Oct 2024Price over the last 12 months of reported (GAAP) diluted EPS
P/EUsual range (±1 s.d.)
45x55x60xAverage 52.8x2025202648.8x60xAverage 52.8x2025202648.8x
Source: Nasdaq prices; SEC filings

Financials

From Costco's SEC filings, through the quarter ending 30 Aug 2026. Hover or tap a bar for its value.

Revenue grew 11.1% from a year earlierQuarterly revenue, $bn, latest Q4 ’26
$0bn$25bn$50bn$75bnQ1 ’25Q3 ’25Q1 ’26$95.7bnQ4 ’26$0bn$50bnQ1 ’25Q3 ’25Q1 ’26$95.7bnQ4 ’26
Source: SEC filings
Growth slowed to +11.1% last quarterRevenue growth, year on year, %
0%5%10%Q1 ’25Q3 ’25Q1 ’2611.1%Q4 ’260%5%10%Q1 ’25Q3 ’25Q1 ’2611.1%Q4 ’26
Source: SEC filings
Operating margin was 4.0% last quarterOperating income as a share of revenue, %
0%1%2%3%4%Q1 ’25Q3 ’25Q1 ’264.0%Q4 ’260%2%4%Q1 ’25Q3 ’25Q1 ’264.0%Q4 ’26
Source: SEC filings
Free cash flow was $9.4 billion over 12 monthsQuarterly free cash flow (operating cash flow minus capex), $bn
$0bn$1bn$2bn$3bnQ1 ’25Q3 ’25Q1 ’26$2.5bnQ4 ’26$0bn$2bnQ1 ’25Q3 ’25Q1 ’26$2.5bnQ4 ’26
Source: SEC filings
Last 12 monthsCOSTSector median
Revenue growth+10.1%+4.9%
Gross margin12.8%40.5%
Operating margin3.9%13.6%
Free cash flow margin3.1%10.3%
Price to earnings48.8x24.5x

Similar companies

Consumer Staples Merchandise Retail, by market value.

CompanyPriceTodayYTDValue
WMTWalmart$123.51+1.86%+10.9%$980B
TGTTarget$154.38+1.69%+57.9%$70.13B
DGDollar General$132.30+1.70%−0.4%$29.19B
DLTRDollar Tree$133.87+1.39%+8.8%$25.12B