NASDAQ:COST

Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST)

902.38
-0.22 (0.02%)
as of Sep 10, 2026, 8:00:00 pm Market Open.
655 watching
0
Investor Insights
star iconSep 10, 2026, 12:00 am

This summary was created by AI, based on 48 opinions in the last 12 months.

Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) is widely regarded by experts as one of the best retailers globally, primarily due to its strong business model, consistent growth, and loyal customer base. Many analysts appreciate its recurring membership fees and the impressive ~92% retention rate, alongside its procurement power leading to solid gross margins. However, there is a consensus that the stock is trading at historically high valuation multiples, often cited in the range of 44x to 53x PE, raising concerns about its sustainability amid a potentially slowing growth trajectory. Analysts generally recommend buying on pullbacks, as they expect long-term growth despite current high valuations. The key takeaway is that while Costco is an exceptional company, prospective investors should be cautious of the lofty price and ensure they are buying at opportune levels.

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Consensus
Hold
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Valuation
Overvalued
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HOLD

Wonderful business, though not a good valuation (and that's the orange flag). PE ratio is in the 40s if not the 50s, lots of growth already priced in. Even 30x PE is probably a bit rich. Fantastic job increasing cashflow per share. If you own it, hold on (again, from Charlie Munger, "do not interrupt compounding unnecessarily").

BUY ON WEAKNESS

It reports tomorrow. No matter how good the quarter will be, it will sell off as it always does after a quarter. Buy after the report.

SELL

Great company and franchise, but valuation got expensive.

BUY

They will survive this tariff war, because they can source cheap, bulk products.

SELL

Recently sold. PEG ratio just got too high.

PAST TOP PICK
(A Top Pick May 29/24, Up 19%)

Any time it opens up a store, it's successful. Model is easy to replicate in other countries. Exceptional customer loyalty. Produce will probably be impacted less by tariffs, as it's sourced locally; hardware goods may be impacted.

TOP PICK

Managed to combine recurring revenue (membership fees) with traditional retail. Business model is still the best in the retail space. Big push toward lower-cost merchandisers. Second to none in its ability to not only survive, but thrive, in what could be a difficult economic environment. Yield is 0.48%.

(Analysts’ price target is $1063.88)
PARTIAL BUY
Are defying Trump's DEI policy

They boast profits and growth, and shares are -12% in the past month, making this a buy. No, it's not rolling over. Buy some now, and buy some next week.

TOP PICK

Profitability is improving; expanding due to e-commerce growth, Kirkland signature, and ad revenue. Reputable brand. Opens 25-30 stores a year. Adding footprint in China. Likes the stability and steady growth. Performs well even in uncertain markets. Impressive membership renewal rate over 90%, and that recurring revenue is a major strength. Sales are still growing from both price and traffic increases. Yield is 0.51%.

(Analysts’ price target is $1067.36)
TOP PICK

Profitability is improving; expanding due to e-commerce growth, Kirkland signature, and ad revenue. Reputable brand. Opens 25-30 stores a year. Adding footprint in China. Likes the stability and steady growth. Performs well even in uncertain markets. Impressive membership renewal rate over 90%, and that recurring revenue is a major strength. Sales are still growing from both price and traffic increases. Yield is 0.51%.

Its stability can weather volatility long term. Expecting 9% EPS growth in both 2025 and 2026. Fundamental score is 9/10.

(Analysts’ price target is $1067.36)
DON'T BUY

A great company based on a fantastic model with nearly all profits covered by membership fees, but trades in the mid-40x PE, which is too high for a retailer, even after this pullback. Great company, but not a great stock.

BUY ON WEAKNESS

They had a terrific quarter, but fell 6% anyway. Is -13% from all-time high of a few weeks ago. But it usually sells off on good quarters, but bounces back, so you must buy it into weakness. Almost always. They reported a revenue beat, but earnings miss. Same-store sales were +6.8%, beating the street. Operating margin barely missed as did EPS. Costco shoppers are still spending, but getting picky about value. Non-food same-store sales growth was around 15%, good. Only one-sixth of their goods come from China, Canada and Mexico, so they are fairly insulated from tariffs; and they can replaced those tariffed items with non-tariffed ones. Shares are hit because it's a high-PE stock and the market is down. Shares now are a buying opportunity.

BUY ON WEAKNESS

It reported excellent numbers last night, but shares still got hammered. Wait till Tuesday when all the sellers will probably be done. It's a major holding of his.

HOLD

High valuation, but paying a premium for a name that has scale and not many competitors. 

BUY

Costco and Walmart offer terrific private label products that appeal to consumer starved for value after products were hiked during Covid. True, private label brands aren't growing much, but they keep all prices--including consumer brands--down. The brands are one reason why  Costco and Walmart keep hitting new highs.

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