# Costco Wholesale Corp (COST) stock analysis and sentiment

Canonical page: https://synoptiv.com/stock/COST
Methodology: https://synoptiv.com/methodology
Author: Synoptiv Research Engine

Last analyzed: Jul 13, 2026

Costco Wholesale Corp (COST) last closed at $916.25, in the lower half of its 52-week range of $844.06–$1,096.50. Composite market sentiment across 1 analysis is neutral (+6 on a −100 to +100 scale), as of Jul 13, 2026.

## What the data says

At $916.25, Costco trades in the lower half of its 52-week range of $844.06 to $1,096.50, roughly 16% below the high and about 9% above the low. The band itself is fairly wide for a consumer defensive name — a spread of about 30% between the extremes — so the stock has not simply drifted sideways over the past year; it climbed to a notably higher level and has since given back a meaningful part of that move, leaving the current price closer to the bottom of the range than the top.

Even after that pullback, the market continues to price the business richly against its own earnings: a trailing P/E near 47 and a forward P/E near 41 mean investors are paying well above what a typical large-cap retailer fetches, and a price-to-book above 24 says the valuation rests on the earnings engine rather than on the balance sheet's asset base. The profitability picture explains why that multiple is worth watching: net margin sits around 3%, thin in absolute terms and characteristic of a high-volume, low-markup model, while revenue growth of about 21.5% shows the top line still expanding quickly. The dividend yield of 0.64% is a minor part of the return profile. A beta of 0.87 indicates the shares have historically moved somewhat less than the broad market, which is consistent with the defensive sector classification, though it has clearly not insulated the stock from a double-digit drawdown from its high.

The recent news flow is notable for what it is not: there are no earnings releases, guidance changes, or company-specific developments in the past week's coverage. Instead, almost all of it is comparative and sector-framed commentary — pieces weighing Costco against Amazon and Walmart, one on peer warehouse operator PriceSmart, and several retrospective or forward-looking opinion articles about the stock's long-run record. In other words, the conversation around the company right now is being driven by broader retail-sector positioning debates and by the valuation question itself, rather than by fresh operational news from Costco.

## About Costco Wholesale Corp

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a chain of membership-only warehouse clubs. Founded in 1976 and headquartered in Issaquah, Washington, the company sells a limited selection of goods in bulk across a broad range of categories: dry groceries and sundries, fresh meat, produce, bakery and deli items, appliances and electronics, health and beauty products, hardware, apparel, furniture, toys, tires, and jewelry, among others. Its warehouses operate in the United States and Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Japan, the United Kingdom, Korea, Australia, Taiwan, China, Spain, France, Iceland, New Zealand, and Sweden.

Many locations include ancillary services such as gas stations, pharmacies, optical and hearing-aid centers, food courts, and tire installation. The company also runs e-commerce sites, business centers, and a travel business. It was known as Costco Companies, Inc. before adopting its current name in August 1999.

## Company profile

- Symbol: COST
- Exchange: NASDAQ
- Security type: Stock
- Sector: Consumer Defensive
- Industry: Discount Stores
- Composite sentiment: neutral (6 on a -100 to +100 scale)

## Key statistics

| Metric | Value |
| --- | ---: |
| Market capitalization | $410.93B |
| Enterprise value | $404.71B |
| Trailing P/E | 46.61 |
| Forward P/E | 40.94 |
| Price to book | 24.86 |
| Price to sales | 1.4 |
| Dividend yield | 0.64% |
| Beta | 0.87 |
| Net margin | 3.01% |
| Revenue growth | 21.50% |
| Earnings growth | 45.50% |
| 52-week high | $1,096.50 |
| 52-week low | $844.06 |
| Average volume | 2.32M |

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## Recent news

- [Walmart remains ahead of its rivals as it continues to slash prices](https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/article/walmart-remains-ahead-of-its-rivals-as-it-continues-to-slash-prices-175501977.html) — Jul 13, 2026
- [The 1 Costco Pricing Secret That Makes It the Most Unusual Retailer in America](https://247wallst.com/investing/2026/07/13/the-1-costco-pricing-secret-that-makes-it-the-most-unusual-retailer-in-america/) — Jul 13, 2026
- [RBC says Costco is one of retail’s best stories, but flags rich valuation](https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/rbc-says-costco-one-retail-150342800.html) — Jul 13, 2026
- [Costco Wholesale to Sustain Market Share Gains on 'Unique' Model, RBC Capital Markets Says](https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/costco-wholesale-sustain-market-share-144921710.html) — Jul 13, 2026
- [Costco sued over what's allegedly inside a 'clean' product](https://www.thestreet.com/retail/costco-sued-over-whats-allegedly-inside-a-clean-product) — Jul 13, 2026
- [Are Costco's June Sales Enough to Defend Its Rich Valuation?](https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/costcos-june-sales-enough-defend-133200390.html) — Jul 13, 2026
- [Prediction: MercadoLibre Will Join Amazon, Walmart, and Costco in the $50 Billion Revenue Club by 2027](https://www.fool.com/investing/2026/07/13/prediction-mercadolibre-will-join-amazon-walmart-a/) — Jul 13, 2026
- [From Brooklyn to the Biggest Names in Sports and Entertainment: Mitch Gould's Quintessential American Success Story](https://finance.yahoo.com/small-business/articles/brooklyn-biggest-names-sports-entertainment-130000423.html) — Jul 13, 2026
- [TopGum Accelerates Growth: H2 2026 Revenue to Reflect an Annualized Run Rate Exceeding $145 Million](https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/topgum-accelerates-growth-h2-2026-123900936.html) — Jul 13, 2026
- [Here Are Monday’s Best Wall Street Analyst Research Calls: Atmos Energy, Best Buy, Biogen, Capital One, Costco, Disney, Papa John’s International, Shopify, and More](https://247wallst.com/investing/2026/07/13/here-are-mondays-best-wall-street-analyst-research-calls-atmos-energy-best-buy-biogen-capital-one-costco-disney-papa-johns-international-shopify-and-more/) — Jul 13, 2026

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the current market sentiment for COST?

As of Jul 13, 2026, Costco Wholesale Corp (COST) carries neutral (+6 on a −100 to +100 scale) composite sentiment. The score fuses recent news tone, analyst recommendations, technical posture, insider and congressional activity, and market attention into a single figure. The full breakdown of each component is in the report.

### How has COST stock been performing?

Costco Wholesale Corp last closed at $916.25, in the lower half of its 52-week range of $844.06–$1,096.50.

### What is COST's market cap and valuation?

Costco Wholesale Corp has a market capitalization of about $410.93B, a trailing P/E of 46.6, a dividend yield of 0.64%.

### What sector is COST in, and who are its competitors?

Costco Wholesale Corp operates in the Consumer Defensive sector, specifically Discount Stores. Comparable companies include WMT, TGT, DG, DLTR, BJ.

### Where can I find a full analysis of COST?

The full COST report covers the bull and bear cases, technical signals with entry, stop and target levels, complete financial statements, earnings history, insider and congressional trades, and the conditions that would invalidate the thesis. It requires a free account.

## Important information

This page is generated from public market and company information. Data can be delayed, incomplete, or wrong. It is research and analysis, not financial advice.

- [Methodology](https://synoptiv.com/methodology)
- [Disclosures](https://synoptiv.com/disclosures)
- [Full report](https://synoptiv.com/stock/COST/v/1) (account and access required)