COST

Costco Wholesale Corporation COST logo
NASDAQ Consumer Staples
$1,003.13
-15.03 (-1.48%)
Updated: 10/23/2026, 8:55:01 PM
Open
$1016.00
High
$1021.18
Low
$1002.84
Prev Close
$1018.21
Volume
1.15M

Price History

Why Is COST ▼ Down Today?

-1.48%

Full AI analysis generates after market close. Showing live price data.

Financial Highlights

Income Statement

Revenue
$280.39B
Gross Profit
$36.10B
12.9% margin
Operating Income
$10.65B
3.8% margin
Net Income
$8.30B
3.0% margin
EPS (Diluted)
$18.67

Balance Sheet

Total Assets
$82.79B
Total Liabilities
$52.49B
Stockholders' Equity
$30.30B

Cash Flow

Operating Cash Flow
$14.76B
Investing Activities
-$5.72B
Net Cash Flow
$5.31B

Highly Regarded Analysis

Updated Oct 23, 2026 • Refreshes daily
Rating
Highly Regarded
Risk
Low
Target
$1,080.69
Type
Standard

Executive Summary

Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) is a leading membership-based warehouse retailer that demonstrates strong financial health, consistent profitability, and a resilient business model. The company benefits from a highly loyal customer base with strong renewal rates and a growing presence in digital sales. While the stock currently trades at a premium, analysts generally maintain a positive outlook due to Costco's effective cost management, robust cash generation, and strategic global expansion.

Bull Case

The bull case for COST is driven by its highly successful membership model, which ensures predictable, high-margin revenue and strong customer retention. Continued growth in Executive membership penetration and digitally-enabled sales (above $33 billion in FY2026) are expected to amplify traffic, conversion, and spending frequency. Costco's expanding global footprint, with 939 warehouses as of FY2026, along with disciplined capital investment and strong cash generation, provides a solid foundation for continued expansion and long-term value creation. The company's focus on value-conscious consumers and essential goods makes it resilient during economic downturns.

Bear Case

The primary concerns for COST include its premium valuation, which leaves little room for error. Risks such as slowing membership acquisition, softer comparable-sales growth, and a potential decline in renewal rates could weaken recurring fee revenue. Rising operational costs, including labor, healthcare, transportation, merchandise, and supply-chain expenses, along with persistent inflation and weaker consumer spending, could pressure operating margins and sales growth. Intensified competition from major retailers like Walmart, Sam's Club, BJ's, and Amazon also poses a threat to shopping frequency and overall sales. Execution risks related to accelerated warehouse expansion, higher capital expenditures, technology modernization, and cybersecurity exposure are also factors to monitor.

Technical Outlook

COST is exhibiting a strongly bullish trend, with its share price trading above its 5, 20, 50, and 200-day exponential and simple moving averages, indicating significant buying pressure. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is above 70, suggesting the stock is in an overbought condition, which can sometimes precede a downward reaction. However, the overall momentum is positive, with multiple technical indicators signaling a 'Strong Buy'. The stock has broken a long-term resistance level, providing a positive signal.

Fundamental Health

Costco exhibits strong fundamental health, characterized by high liquidity, low leverage, and consistent profitability. The company's membership-based model generates recurring, high-margin fee income, fostering exceptional customer loyalty with high renewal rates (over 90% globally, 92.3% in the U.S. and Canada). As of FY2026, Costco reported net income of $9.226 billion and net sales of $297.2 billion, demonstrating a growth of 13.92% in net income and 10.1% in net sales year-over-year. Its Debt to FCF ratio of 0.66 is excellent, indicating a strong ability to cover its debts. The company's growth is largely self-financed, supported by strong cash generation ($15.82 billion in operating cash flow and $9.38 billion in free cash flow in FY2026).

Key Catalysts

  • Upcoming earnings report on December 10, 2026.
  • Monthly sales reports providing insights into comparable store sales and overall revenue trends.
  • Strategic global expansion and increasing market penetration in both existing and new territories.
  • Growth in e-commerce and digitally-enabled sales, including the integration of AI-powered commerce solutions.

This analysis is AI-assisted and reviewed by our editorial team. It is not financial advice. Always do your own research and consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Go Deeper on COST

Key Stats

P/E Ratio 53.7x
EPS (Diluted) $18.67
Gross Margin 12.9%
Operating Margin 3.8%
Net Margin 3.0%
Revenue (Qtr) $280.39B
Shares Outstanding 444M

Next Earnings

Date Dec 10, 2026
Time After Close
Quarter Q1 2027
EPS Estimate $4.93

COST News

No recent news for COST.