Costco Wholesale Corporation
Explore Costco Wholesale Corporation stock price, valuation, financial statements, dividend history, analyst estimates, and long-term business fundamentals on StockSifting.
COST — Monthly Price History
Adjusted close price · Hover to see price & month
Pros
- Healthy return on equity.
- Efficient use of capital employed.
- Balance sheet leverage appears manageable.
- Meaningful dividend yield is available.
Cons
- Operating margin is thin.
- Net margin is relatively low.
- Valuation is rich on a P/E basis.
Sift Stocks
| S.No. | Name | Price | P.E. | Market Cap | Div Yld % | ROCE | ROE | 52Week High/ Low | Book Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Walmart Inc. | $118.88 | 40.91 | $930.22 B | 0.76% | 16.83% | 23.92% | $135.16 / $93.43 | $12.5 |
| 2. | Target Corporation | $122.57 | 16.14 | $55.67 B | 3.68% | 13.37% | 21.74% | $133.1 / $83.44 | $35.7 |
| 3. | Dollar General Corporation | $103.7 | 14.6 | $22.85 B | 2.28% | 9.18% | 18.65% | $158.23 / $95.11 | $38.67 |
| 4. | Dollar Tree, Inc. | $108.8 | 16.44 | $21.15 B | — | 16.15% | 35.9% | $142.4 / $84.71 | $18.92 |
| 5. | BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. | $89.21 | 19.76 | $11.29 B | — | 17.48% | 26.59% | $115.43 / $83.65 | $16.95 |
| 6. | PriceSmart, Inc. | $173.97 | 34.8 | $5.43 B | 0.81% | 15.3% | 12.23% | $177.45 / $99.98 | $40.57 |
| 7. | Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings, Inc. | $76.7 | 18.59 | $4.64 B | — | 12.64% | 13.49% | $141.74 / $73.31 | $30.91 |
Quarterly Results
Figures shown in M / B
| Q1 2026 | Q4 2025 | Q3 2025 | Q2 2025 | Q1 2025 | Q4 2024 | Q3 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales | 69.6 B | 67.31 B | 86.16 B | 63.2 B | 63.72 B | — | — |
| Operating Profit | 2.61 B | 2.46 B | 3.34 B | 2.53 B | 2.32 B | — | — |
| Net Profit | 2.04 B | 2 B | 2.61 B | 1.9 B | 1.79 B | — | — |
| EPS in Rs | 4.59 | 4.51 | 5.88 | 4.29 | 4.03 | — | — |
Profit & Loss
Figures shown in M / B
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales | 275.24 B | 254.45 B | 242.29 B | 226.95 B |
| Operating Profit | 10.38 B | 9.29 B | 8.11 B | 7.79 B |
| Net Profit | 8.1 B | 7.37 B | 6.29 B | 5.84 B |
| EPS in Rs | 18.26 | 16.61 | 14.18 | 13.17 |
Balance Sheet
Figures shown in M / B
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | 77.1 B | 69.83 B | 68.99 B | 64.17 B |
| Total Liabilities | 47.94 B | 46.21 B | 43.94 B | 43.52 B |
| Equity | 29.16 B | 23.62 B | 25.06 B | 20.64 B |
| Current Assets | 38.38 B | 34.25 B | 35.88 B | 32.7 B |
| Current Liabilities | 37.11 B | 35.46 B | 33.58 B | 32 B |
Cash Flow
Last available yearly cash flow history
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating CF | 13.34 B | 11.34 B | 11.07 B | 7.39 B |
| Investing CF | -5.31 B | -4.41 B | -4.97 B | -3.92 B |
| Financing CF | -3.77 B | -10.76 B | -2.61 B | -4.28 B |
| Free CF | 7.84 B | 6.63 B | 6.75 B | 3.5 B |
| Capex | -5.5 B | -4.71 B | -4.32 B | -3.89 B |
5Y Margin & Growth History
Last 5 years of annual financial statement data.
| 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth % | 5.02% | 6.76% | — | — |
| Earnings Growth % | 17.09% | 7.67% | — | — |
| Profit Margin % | 2.9% | 2.6% | 2.57% | — |
| Operating Margin % | 3.65% | 3.35% | 3.43% | — |
| Gross Margin % | 12.61% | 12.26% | 12.15% | — |
| EBITDA Margin % | 4.77% | 4.43% | 4.36% | — |
Dividend & Split History
Latest dividend payments and stock split events.
Dividend History
| Ex Date | Dividend |
|---|---|
| 2026-01-30 | $1.3 |
| 2025-10-31 | $1.3 |
| 2025-08-01 | $1.3 |
| 2025-05-02 | $1.3 |
| 2025-02-07 | $1.16 |
Stock Splits
No stock split history available.
Frequently Asked Questions — Costco Wholesale Corporation
Will Costco Wholesale Corporation stock hit $1166 in 2026?
Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) is currently trading at $971.87, with a 52-week range of $844.06 to $1096.5. Reaching the $1166 level would represent a 20% gain from the current price — a target many investors consider when evaluating near-term upside potential.
Wall Street analysts currently have a consensus price target of $1072.16 for Costco Wholesale Corporation, with a Buy rating, and the most bullish analysts see the stock reaching as high as $1315.0. Whether Costco Wholesale Corporation can reach $1166 in 2026 depends on several factors: revenue and earnings growth trajectory, broader market conditions, sector sentiment within the Consumer Defensive space, and any company-specific catalysts such as product launches, earnings beats, or strategic announcements.
Historically, COST has delivered a 23.6% CAGR over the past 5 years, which suggests the stock has demonstrated meaningful long-term growth momentum. However, past performance does not guarantee future results, and short-term price movements can be influenced by macroeconomic shifts, interest rate changes, and investor sentiment. Use the COST Stock Return Calculator on StockSifting to model different growth scenarios and see how various CAGR assumptions translate to potential price targets. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
Is Costco Wholesale Corporation stock worth buying at $971.87?
Whether Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) is worth buying at $971.87 depends on your investment goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance. Here is a breakdown of the key metrics investors typically evaluate:
Valuation: Costco Wholesale Corporation trades at a Price-to-Earnings (P/E) ratio of 49.9x, which can be compared against other Consumer Defensive companies to assess whether the stock is expensive or attractively priced relative to its peers.
Profitability & efficiency: Costco Wholesale Corporation has a Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) of 26.0%, which indicates the business is generating strong returns on the capital it deploys — a hallmark of a high-quality business. Its Return on Equity (ROE) stands at 28.3%, suggesting management is effectively converting shareholder equity into profit.
Financial health: The Debt-to-Equity ratio of 60.26 indicates a higher degree of financial leverage — investors should monitor debt servicing capacity.
Analyst view: The Wall Street consensus recommendation for COST is currently Buy, with a mean price target of $1072.16 based on 32 analyst ratings. Always conduct your own due diligence and consider consulting a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. Nothing on StockSifting constitutes financial advice.
What is the analyst price target for Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) in 2026?
As of 2026, Wall Street analysts have set a consensus (mean) price target of $1072.16 for Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST), aggregated from 32 analyst ratings. The overall analyst recommendation is Buy.
The price target range spans from $650.0 on the bearish end to $1315.0 on the most optimistic projection, with a median target of $1100.0. This wide range reflects differing views on Costco Wholesale Corporation's growth prospects, competitive positioning, and macroeconomic sensitivity.
It is important to note that analyst price targets are forward-looking estimates based on financial models, earnings projections, and sector assumptions — they are not guarantees. Targets are regularly revised following quarterly earnings results, management guidance updates, or shifts in the broader economic outlook. Stocks can trade significantly above or below analyst targets depending on market conditions. View the full analyst breakdown and track target revisions on the COST analysis page on StockSifting.
Is Costco Wholesale Corporation overvalued at a P/E ratio of 49.9x?
Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) currently has a Price-to-Earnings (P/E) ratio of 49.9x, meaning investors are paying $49.9 for every $1 of the company's trailing twelve-month earnings. Whether this makes the stock overvalued depends on several contextual factors:
Sector context: The Consumer Defensive sector tends to command higher valuation multiples when growth expectations are elevated. A 49.9x P/E is on the higher end, suggesting the market is pricing in continued strong earnings growth — any disappointment in future earnings could lead to a multiple contraction.
Growth-adjusted valuation: A P/E ratio in isolation can be misleading. Fast-growing companies often deserve higher P/E multiples because their future earnings are expected to rise significantly. A more complete picture comes from looking at the PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) — a PEG below 1 is often considered undervalued, while above 2 may signal overvaluation. Costco Wholesale Corporation's ROCE of 26.0% suggests it generates strong returns on invested capital, which can justify a premium valuation.
Additional metrics to review: P/E is just one lens. Compare it alongside the Price-to-Book (P/B) ratio, EV/EBITDA, Price-to-Sales, and free cash flow yield for a more complete valuation picture. View all of COST's valuation ratios on StockSifting's ratios section. Valuation is subjective and context-dependent — this is not investment advice.
How much can you earn by reinvesting Costco Wholesale Corporation dividends?
Dividend reinvestment — commonly known as DRIP (Dividend Reinvestment Plan) — is a powerful wealth-building strategy where instead of receiving your dividend payouts as cash, the dividends are automatically used to purchase additional shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST). Over time, this creates a compounding effect: more shares generate more dividends, which buy even more shares.
Costco Wholesale Corporation currently offers a dividend yield of approximately 60.00%. While this may seem modest in isolation, the real power of DRIP emerges over long holding periods. An investor who reinvested dividends consistently over 10–20 years would accumulate significantly more shares than one who took dividends as cash — and those extra shares continue generating their own dividend income.
The key variables that determine your DRIP returns are: your initial investment amount, the number of years you stay invested, the dividend yield at the time of each reinvestment, and whether Costco Wholesale Corporation grows or cuts its dividend over time. Market price appreciation of COST also plays a significant role — rising share prices increase the value of your accumulated shares.
Use the COST DRIP Calculator on StockSifting to enter your investment amount, start date, and contribution frequency — and see a year-by-year breakdown of shares accumulated, dividends earned, and total portfolio value. Past dividend payments are not a guarantee of future payouts. This is not financial advice.