COST
Costco Wholesale Corporation · Consumer Staples · Discount Stores
Last
$939.36
−$6.21 (−0.66%) 4:00 PM ET
Prev close $945.57
Open $961.18
Day high $964.07
Day low $933.84
Volume 2,286,552
Avg vol 2,570,412
Mkt cap
$419.34B
P/E ratio
47.25
FY Revenue
$293.59B
EPS
19.88
Gross Margin
12.88%
Sector
Consumer Staples
AI report sections
COST
Costco Wholesale Corporation
Costco’s share price is trading near the top of its 52-week range with firm upward momentum across 1–6 month horizons but with overbought technical readings that point to a stretched near-term condition. Fundamentally, the company combines steady revenue and earnings growth, high returns on capital, and solid free cash flow generation with thin operating margins typical of warehouse retail and a relatively tight liquidity profile. Valuation multiples such as P/E and EV/EBITDA appear elevated relative to modest growth and low dividend yield, while short interest remains low in percentage terms despite a high short-volume share of recent trading.
AI summarized at 3:55 PM ET, 2026-05-19
AI summary scores
INTRADAY: 72 SWING: 78 LONG: 63
Volume vs average
Intraday (cumulative)
+23% (Above avg)
Vol/Avg: 1.23×
RSI
48.63 (Neutral)
Neutral (40–60)
MACD momentum
Intraday
-0.21 (Weak)
MACD: 0.53 Signal: 0.75
Short-Term
+0.84 (Strong)
MACD: -13.87 Signal: -14.71
Long-Term
-0.69 (Weak)
MACD: -23.24 Signal: -22.55
Intraday trend score 73.20

Latest news

COST 12 articles Positive: 7 Neutral: 4 Negative: 1
Neutral GlobeNewswire Inc. • Na
Jackery FridgeGuard Now Available Exclusively at Costco, Offering Smart Refrigerator Backup Protection for Unexpected Outages

Jackery announced that its FridgeGuard, an ultra-slim refrigerator backup battery system, is now available exclusively at Costco. The device offers 15 hours of runtime, instant 10ms UPS switchover, and 1600W output to protect refrigerators during power outages. Priced at $549.99 for Costco members, FridgeGuard requires no installation and features a compact 2.6-inch profile, addressing the growing concern of power outages affecting U.S. households.

COST refrigerator backup power portable power station power outage protection UPS technology home energy backup LiFePO4 battery smart home protection
Sentiment note

Costco is mentioned as the exclusive retail partner for FridgeGuard distribution. While this represents a business relationship and expanded product offerings, the article provides no information about Costco's financial impact or strategic implications from this partnership.

Positive The Motley Fool • Jennifer Saibil
If You're Worried About a Market Crash, Here's the 1 Thing You Shouldn't Do, According to History.

With the S&P 500 facing valuation concerns and macroeconomic headwinds, the article advises investors not to sell during a market crash. Historical data shows that staying invested and holding through downturns leads to significant long-term gains. The article recommends building a defensive portfolio with dividend and stable stocks, and keeping cash reserves to buy at lower prices.

PG KO COST TJX market crash S&P 500 CAPE ratio defensive stocks
Sentiment note

Recommended as a defensive stock that performs well under market pressure and economic stress.

Positive The Motley Fool • Eric Volkman
Here's How Many Shares of Costco Stock You'd Need for $1,000 in Yearly Dividends

Costco raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share (annual $5.88) for the 22nd consecutive year, requiring 171 shares to generate $1,000 in annual dividends. Despite a low 0.6% dividend yield, the company demonstrates strong fundamentals with 92%+ membership renewal rates, 14% membership growth over two years, and record 2025 sales of $275 billion. Recent stock weakness following profit-taking and disappointing earnings reports presents a buying opportunity for long-term investors.

COST dividend raise membership renewal retail stocks dividend yield earnings report membership growth
Sentiment note

Company demonstrates consistent dividend growth (22 years of raises), strong membership metrics (92%+ renewal rate, 145+ million members), record financial performance ($275B sales, $8.1B net income in 2025), and solid long-term growth prospects despite recent short-term stock weakness and low dividend yield.

Neutral The Motley Fool • Parkev Tatevosian, Cfa
Costco Stock: Buy the Dip?

Costco shares declined following the company's monthly sales report, despite reporting a 10.6% increase in June sales. The article discusses whether this dip presents a buying opportunity for investors, noting that such opportunities are rare for Costco stock.

COST Costco stock decline monthly sales data June sales growth buying opportunity stock dip
Sentiment note

While Costco reported strong June sales growth of 10.6%, the stock fell 4% following the announcement, indicating mixed market reaction. The article presents a balanced view of whether the dip represents a buying opportunity, without taking a definitive bullish or bearish stance. The Motley Fool maintains a position in and recommends the stock, suggesting underlying confidence despite short-term volatility.

Positive The Motley Fool • Jeff Siegel
Costco Could Be Poised for Major Gains Before 2030. Here Is Why Now May Be the Time to Buy.

Costco's membership model generates strong recurring revenue with 92.3% U.S./Canada renewal rates and 10.7% year-over-year membership fee growth. The company operates 931 warehouses globally with significant international expansion opportunities, maintains strong financial health with $13.3 billion in operating cash flow, and benefits from 21.5% e-commerce comparable sales growth. Despite premium valuation multiples, Costco's competitive advantages position it well for continued shareholder returns through 2030.

COST membership revenue warehouse expansion recurring revenue model customer loyalty e-commerce growth financial strength valuation premium
Sentiment note

Strong membership fee growth (10.7% YoY), exceptional renewal rates (92.3% U.S./Canada), expanding warehouse footprint (931 locations), robust e-commerce growth (21.5%), solid cash generation ($13.3B operating cash flow), and durable competitive moat through recurring revenue model support long-term growth potential through 2030.

Positive The Motley Fool • Micah Zimmerman
Why Is Amazon so Much Cheaper Than Walmart and Costco? This Is the Only Answer I Can Think of.

Amazon trades at a lower forward P/E ratio than Walmart and Costco despite stronger growth prospects. The valuation gap reflects investor preferences: Walmart and Costco command premium multiples for predictable, bond-like earnings stability, while Amazon's lower multiple reflects uncertainty around massive AI and cloud infrastructure spending rather than weakness in its business fundamentals.

AMZN WMT COST valuation forward P/E ratio Amazon Web Services cloud computing artificial intelligence
Sentiment note

Costco has the highest forward P/E multiple, reflecting investor confidence in its membership model that creates loyal, recurring customers. The company offers predictable earnings growth and is valued as a dependable compounder with minimal execution risk.

Neutral Investing.com • Thomas Hughes
PriceSmart Stock Eyes $220 as Chile Expansion Fuels Growth

PriceSmart is accelerating growth and outpacing peers with 12.5% revenue growth in fiscal Q3. The company plans to open six new clubs by spring 2027, including its first location in Chile, a lucrative market with significant growth potential. With strong comp sales growth of 10.7% and expanding margins, analysts project the stock could reach $220 by year-end, though valuation at 36x forward earnings remains elevated.

PSMT COST PriceSmart expansion Chile market entry membership club retailer Latin America growth revenue acceleration warehouse clubs
Sentiment note

Mentioned only as a peer comparison point to highlight PriceSmart's superior growth rate (12.5% vs. Costco's implied lower rate). No specific news or performance data provided about Costco itself.

Positive The Motley Fool • Adria Cimino
Amazon vs. Walmart vs. Costco: Which Is the Smartest Buy for the Second Half of 2026?

The article compares three retail giants—Amazon, Walmart, and Costco—as investment options for the second half of 2026. While all three are solid long-term prospects, the author recommends Amazon as the smartest buy due to its lower valuation compared to peers, superior revenue growth, and ability to perform well in various economic environments through its e-commerce business and AWS cloud computing arm.

AMZN WMT COST retail stocks e-commerce investment comparison membership model cloud computing
Sentiment note

Highlighted for excellent business model with high-margin membership fees, exceptional renewal rates (>90%), and strong long-term earnings growth potential, though trading at higher valuation than Amazon.

Neutral The Motley Fool • Daniel Sparks
If You'd Invested $10,000 in Costco 10 Years Ago, Here's How Much You'd Have Today

A $10,000 investment in Costco a decade ago would have grown to approximately $72,000 today, representing a 22% average annual return. However, the article cautions that this exceptional performance was partly driven by valuation expansion (P/E ratio rising from high 20s to 48x), which cannot be sustained indefinitely. While Costco remains a high-quality business with strong fundamentals and recurring membership revenue, the author suggests current valuations offer limited margin of safety and recommends waiting for a meaningful pullback before buying.

COST AMZN WMT Costco investment returns valuation multiple membership model comparable sales growth
Sentiment note

While the article acknowledges Costco as 'one of the best retailers on the planet' with strong fundamentals, recurring membership revenue, and impressive growth metrics (11.6% net sales growth, 90% renewal rates), the neutral sentiment reflects concerns about current valuation at 48x earnings. The author warns that past returns cannot repeat and suggests the stock lacks a safety cushion, making it unsuitable for new buyers at current prices despite being a quality business.

Negative The Motley Fool • Reuben Gregg Brewer
When I Try to Imagine the Best Investment Opportunity for the Next 10 Years, Costco Stock Just Doesn't Make the Cut. That's Why I Keep Coming Back to This Stock.

While Costco is a well-run company with a strong business model, its high valuation and low dividend yield (0.6%) make it unattractive for dividend-focused value investors. McCormick, currently out of favor due to earnings pressures from inflation, offers a more compelling opportunity with a 3.6% yield and historically attractive valuations, despite upcoming risks from its acquisition of Unilever's food business.

COST MKC MKC.V UL dividend investing value investing valuation metrics consumer staples
Sentiment note

While acknowledged as a great business with strong operations, the stock is considered overvalued with a P/E of 47x (vs. 45x average), P/S of 1.4x (vs. 1.2x average), and insufficient dividend yield of 0.6% for value and dividend investors seeking income.

Positive The Motley Fool • David Jagielski, Cpa
Costco vs Walmart: What's the Better Retail Stock to Buy Right Now?

The article compares Costco and Walmart as retail investment options. Both companies show strong comparable sales growth, but Walmart emerges as the more attractive choice due to its lower valuation (P/E of 39 vs Costco's 47), better positioning for value-conscious consumers, and recent stock decline making it more appealing for long-term investors.

COST WMT retail stocks comparable sales growth valuation consumer spending long-term investment price-to-earnings ratio
Sentiment note

Strong comparable sales growth over 6% across U.S., Canada, and international markets despite challenging economic conditions. Stellar business performance and robust demand demonstrate continued strength, though higher valuation at 47x earnings is a concern.

Positive The Motley Fool • Rick Munarriz
The Best Stock to Invest $1,000 in Right Now

The Motley Fool recommends Costco as an excellent stock for a $1,000 investment. The warehouse club operator demonstrated resilience with 13.7% comparable sales growth in May and has historically weathered economic downturns well. Despite trading at 42x forward earnings, the stock is down 3% over the past year while the broader market has risen, making it relatively cheaper. With 82.9 million paid memberships and consistent revenue growth of 9% in its latest quarter, Costco has been a 150-bagger since going public 33 years ago.

COST warehouse club comparable sales growth membership model retail resilience valuation market performance
Sentiment note

Strong double-digit comparable sales growth (13.7% in May), consistent revenue growth (9% in latest quarter), net income climbing 13%, resilient business model with 82.9 million paid memberships, historically strong performance as a 150-bagger since IPO, and stock trading at two-year low valuation multiples despite market gains make it an attractive investment opportunity.

News and sentiment labels describe article tone and are provided for research purposes only. They are not trading recommendations or forecasts.
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