COSTConsumer Defensive · Discount StoresThe 39 Wall Street analysts covering Costco Wholesale Corp. hold a median 12-month price target of $1,100 — +13.2% from the last close. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model, run across ~4,600 US stocks, ranks it 51 of 100 as at 22 Aug 2026 — in the upper half.
Consensus tells you what everyone already believes. The model scores Costco Wholesale Corp. on its factor families — the same systematic rank behind the Ticker Nerd portfolio.
Percentile across ~4,600 US stocks on Ticker Nerd’s systematic factor model. Higher is better. How the model is built and tested
Volatility (97): The share price has been relatively steady.
Value (23): The shares cost a lot relative to the profits and assets behind them.
Size (1): Larger than most of the companies we track — more scrutinised, less often mispriced.
Built and run by Aslam Ghouse, an ex-Goldman Sachs quant trader with fourteen years in markets.
The bullish and bearish analyst opinions on COST, reported as data — targets and ratings, the market's view beside the model's.
Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.
Data provided by Twelve Data
The green dot is the last close — the median target sits +13.2% from it.
| Date | Firm | Action | Rating | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 July 2026 | JP Morgan | Maintains | Overweight | $1,110 → $1,100 |
| 9 July 2026 | JP Morgan | Maintains | Overweight | — |
| 18 June 2026 | Citigroup | Reinstates | Neutral | $1,020 |
| 4 June 2026 | DA Davidson | Maintains | Neutral | — |
| 3 June 2026 | TD Cowen | Reiterates | Buy | — |
| 1 June 2026 | DA Davidson | Maintains | Neutral | — |
| 29 May 2026 | B of A Securities | Maintains | Buy | — |
| 29 May 2026 | BTIG | Reiterates | Buy | — |
| 29 May 2026 | DA Davidson | Maintains | Neutral | — |
| 29 May 2026 | Truist Securities | Maintains | Hold | — |
| 20 May 2026 | UBS | Maintains | Buy | — |
| 19 May 2026 | Oppenheimer | Maintains | Outperform | — |
| 10 Apr 2026 | DA Davidson | Maintains | Neutral | — |
| 9 Apr 2026 | Telsey Advisory Group | Maintains | Outperform | — |
| 9 Apr 2026 | Wells Fargo | Maintains | Equal-Weight | — |
| 31 Mar 2026 | Telsey Advisory Group | Maintains | Outperform | — |
| 6 Mar 2026 | BMO Capital | Maintains | Outperform | — |
| 6 Mar 2026 | BTIG | Maintains | Buy | — |
| 6 Mar 2026 | DA Davidson | Maintains | Neutral | — |
| 6 Mar 2026 | JP Morgan | Maintains | Overweight | — |
Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.
Computed off the Friday close and sent before the US open.
Market Radar reports the week’s largest rank changes across roughly 4,600 US stocks, the factor behind each one, and where the market went. COST appears on the weeks it earns a place.
Both lines are total return — dividends reinvested — so the comparison is honest on both sides.
Over the twelve months to 24 Aug 2026, Costco Wholesale Corp. returned +1.9% against +19.6% for the S&P 500, dividends included.
Download this chart as an image — free to reuse; link this page as the source.
Data provided by Twelve Data
Not the forecast itself — the direction analysts are revising it. Revision direction is one of the model's factor families.
A margin means little on its own. Each bar marks where the figure sits across the whole US universe we score.
Cheaper than 16% of US stocks
Cheaper than 62% of US stocks
Cheaper than 4% of US stocks
Cheaper than 9% of US stocks
Higher than 71% of US stocks
Higher than 73% of US stocks
Higher than 12% of US stocks
Higher than 52% of US stocks
Higher than 55% of US stocks
Higher than 87% of US stocks
Higher than 90% of US stocks
Higher than 12% of US dividend payers
Bars mark the percentile across the ~4,600 US stocks Ticker Nerd covers, among those reporting the figure.
The headline figures, each with its date. Every row carries its own link — cite it straight from here.
Costco Wholesale Corp. has a market value of $420.3B and an enterprise value of $418.6B.
Revenue in the twelve months to 31 May 2026: $293.6B. The latest quarter grew 21.5% year on year.
Net income over the same four quarters: $8.8B, a 3.0% net margin.
Diluted earnings per share, trailing twelve months: $19.88.
Free cash flow in the twelve months to 31 May 2026: $8.8B, after $6.2B of capital spending.
Costco Wholesale Corp. spent $883.0M on share buybacks and $2.3B on dividends in the twelve months to 31 May 2026.
Trailing P/E: 47.6×; forward P/E: 41.8× — the forward figure prices analyst consensus estimates, not reported earnings.
Forward dividend yield: 0.62%, paying out 27% of earnings.
Costco Wholesale Corp. employs 341,000 people — $861K of revenue per employee.
Data provided by Twelve Data
The nearest names by industry and size, scored by the same model — like for like.
| Company | Market cap | TKN rank |
|---|---|---|
| COSTCostco Wholesale Corp. | $420.3B | 51 |
| WMTWalmart, Inc. | $826.5B | 45 |
| TGTTarget Corp. | $74.9B | 96 |
| DGDollar General Corp. | $27.2B | 76 |
| DLTRDollar Tree, Inc. | $25.3B | 87 |
| KOThe Coca-Cola Co.* | $391.9B | 90 |
| PGProcter & Gamble Co.* | $336.9B | 60 |
* Nearest Consumer Defensive names by size — few discount stores companies of this scale trade in the US universe.
Look up any of the roughly 4,600 stocks we score.
The rank is the raw material. Whether the rules would actually own Costco Wholesale Corp. — and when they’d sell — is the membership. See the Ticker Nerd 20 →
Costco's AI search traffic is surging and boasts the highest conversion rate among its channels, signaling a potential new catalyst for its digital sales growth.
Why it matters — A Costco watcher would care because rising AI-driven search traffic with high conversion could support future digital sales momentum, an early indicator of a possible growth driver.
The Motley Fool reports that higher oil prices are drawing value-conscious customers to Costco, as shoppers increasingly choose the retailer amid rising fuel costs.
Why it matters — For COST watchers, this highlights how rising oil prices could drive more customer traffic to the warehouse chain.
Recent earnings results from major retailers including Walmart indicate that US consumers are still spending but are becoming more selective about where and how they spend. Walmart's sharp stock decline following its latest earnings report added to concerns that higher prices, elevated gasoline costs, and economic uncertainty are increasingly influencing household spending.
Why it matters — Rivals' results signal shifting consumer spending behaviour and caution in the retail environment, which could have implications for Costco's own sales and membership trends.
Joe Tigay discussed Costco on Schwab Network, describing it as a good company to own during times of rampant inflation and explaining the value opportunity he sees in the stock following Walmart's earnings. He also highlighted Berkshire Hathaway and Caterpillar as other favored holdings.
Why it matters — The commentary offers an analyst's perspective on Costco's appeal as an inflation-resistant holding, which is relevant to investors tracking the company's value proposition.
The Motley Fool article reflects on the 26 years since Costco's 2-for-1 stock split and examines what a $1,000 investment made the day before that split would be worth today. It notes that Costco's stock remains one of the market's highest-priced tickers, keeping it out of reach for many investors.
Why it matters — COST watchers would care because the piece revisits the company's split history and highlights how its high share price and potential future splits could affect share accessibility.
The 39 Wall Street analysts covering Costco Wholesale Corp. have a median 12-month price target of $1,100, with estimates ranging from $740 to $1,315. These are third-party analyst estimates, not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.
Of the 39 analysts covering Costco Wholesale Corp., 23 rate it a Buy, 14 a Hold and 2 a Sell. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model ranks Costco Wholesale Corp. 51 out of 100 across roughly 4,600 US stocks as at 22 Aug 2026. None of this is personal advice — it does not consider your circumstances.
As at 22 Aug 2026, Costco Wholesale Corp. ranks 51 out of 100 on Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model — a percentile across roughly 4,600 US stocks, built from its factor families. Its strongest factor family is Volatility (97 of 100).
No one can know that. What the data says: the median 12-month target from 39 analysts implies +13.2% from the last close, and Ticker Nerd's factor model ranks Costco Wholesale Corp. 51 out of 100 as at 22 Aug 2026. Analyst targets are third-party estimates and frequently wrong; none of this is personal advice.
No analyst covering Costco Wholesale Corp. publishes a 2030 price target — Wall Street targets run 12 to 18 months out. Sites quoting a 2030 price for COST are extrapolating price history, which says nothing about the business. The furthest attributed numbers are the current analyst targets: $740 to $1,315 over the next 12 months.
Costco Wholesale Corp. returned +1.9% over the 12 months to 24 Aug 2026, with dividends reinvested. Past performance does not indicate future returns.
Costco Wholesale Corporation is a membership-based warehouse club retailer that serves households and businesses through a broad mix of bulk groceries, fresh food, general merchandise, and specialty products. The company also provides services such as pharmacy, optical, hearing aid, travel, and fuel offerings, creating a one-stop shopping model centered on value and convenience.
The most recent item we track (Zacks Investment Research, 24 Aug 2026): "Will Costco's AI Search Growth Become a Meaningful Sales Catalyst?". Costco's AI search traffic is surging and boasts the highest conversion rate among its channels, signaling a potential new catalyst for its digital sales growth.
Costco Wholesale Corporation is a membership-based warehouse club retailer that serves households and businesses through a broad mix of bulk groceries, fresh food, general merchandise, and specialty products. The company also provides services such as pharmacy, optical, hearing aid, travel, and fuel offerings, creating a one-stop shopping model centered on value and convenience. Costco Wholesale Corporation operates across the United States, Canada, and other international markets, reaching customers through large-format warehouses and online channels. Its business model is built around membership access, efficient logistics, and a limited-assortment merchandising approach that helps support consistent product availability and competitive pricing. Costco Wholesale Corporation plays a significant role in consumer staples retail by combining essential goods, discretionary items, and service-based offerings within a single, high-volume distribution platform.
CEO Mr. Ron M. Vachris · 341,000 employees · United States · https://www.costco.com
