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COSTCOSTConsumer Defensive · Discount Stores

COST Stock Forecast: Costco Wholesale Corp. Price Predictions for 2026-2027

Last close, 18 Sept 2026
$895
+0.15% on the day

The 39 Wall Street analysts covering Costco Wholesale Corp. hold a median 12-month price target of $1,100 — +22.9% from the last close. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model, run across ~4,600 US stocks, ranks it 50 of 100 as at 19 Sept 2026 — in the upper half.

Market cap
$397.1B
Ticker Nerd rank
50 / 100
Median analyst target
$1,100
Analysts covering
39
Revenue$70.5B+11.6% y/y
Operating income$2.8B
Net income$2.2B
Free cash flow$2.0B
Quarterly, 8 quarters to 31 May 2026 · latest quarter's figure shown
Total return, dividends reinvested
1W
−1.0%
1M
−6.9%
YTD
+4.3%
1Y
−5.4%
From 52W high
−18.1%
From 52W low
+5.8%
$846
$1,093
52-week range, adjusted closes · the dot is the last close
Ticker Nerd rank

COST stock analysis: one number for the whole business

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.

Where the model ranks itAs at 19 Sept 2026
50 / 100

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
Issuance
77
Quality
77
Revisions
61
Growth
56
Accruals
53
Momentum
37
Value
25
Size
1

Volatility (97): The share price has been relatively steady.

Value (25): 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.

Wall Street

COST stock forecast 2026-2027: analyst price targets & predictions

The bullish and bearish analyst opinions on COST, reported as data — targets and ratings, the market's view beside the model's.

Share price and the analyst range, 12 monthsAdjusted close, US dollars
$700$800$900$1,000$1,100$1,200$1,300Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26COSTHigh $1,315Median $1,100Low $740

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

What Wall Street says39 analysts
24 Buy13 Hold2 Sell
Low $740Median $1,100High $1,315

The green dot is the last close — the median target sits +22.9% from it.

Recent analyst actionsNewest first
DateFirmActionRatingTarget
16 Sept 2026B of A SecuritiesMaintainsBuy$1,200 → $1,095
16 Sept 2026OppenheimerReiteratesOutperform$1,160
8 Sept 2026Freedom BrokerUpgradeBuy—
8 Sept 2026Freedom BrokerUpgradeBuy$1,030
3 Sept 2026BTIGReiteratesBuy$1,125
3 Sept 2026BTIGReiteratesBuy—
3 Sept 2026DA DavidsonMaintainsNeutral—
3 Sept 2026DA DavidsonMaintainsNeutral$1,000
9 July 2026JP MorganMaintainsOverweight—
9 July 2026JP MorganMaintainsOverweight$1,110 → $1,100
18 June 2026CitigroupReinstatesNeutral$1,020
4 June 2026DA DavidsonMaintainsNeutral—
3 June 2026TD CowenReiteratesBuy—
1 June 2026DA DavidsonMaintainsNeutral—
29 May 2026B of A SecuritiesMaintainsBuy—
29 May 2026BTIGReiteratesBuy—
29 May 2026DA DavidsonMaintainsNeutral—
29 May 2026Truist SecuritiesMaintainsHold—
20 May 2026UBSMaintainsBuy—
19 May 2026OppenheimerMaintainsOutperform—

Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Market Radar

This page is one stock. Monday covers all of them.

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.

Free, every Monday. Unsubscribe any time.

Performance

COST vs the S&P 500

Both lines are total return — dividends reinvested — so the comparison is honest on both sides.

Over the twelve months to 18 Sept 2026, Costco Wholesale Corp. returned −5.4% against +16.3% for the S&P 500, dividends included.

COST vs S&P 500, last 12 monthsTotal return, rebased to 100
859095100105110115120Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26COSTS&P 500

Download this chart as an image — free to reuse; link this page as the source.

Data provided by Twelve Data

Estimates

COST analyst estimate revisions

Not the forecast itself — the direction analysts are revising it. Revision direction is one of the model's factor families.

Which way the estimates are movingNext fiscal year
EPS revision, 90 days
+0.3%
Analysts raising
4
Analysts cutting
4
Fundamentals

Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST) financial data

A margin means little on its own. Each bar marks where the figure sits across the whole US universe we score.

Valuation
Trailing P/E
45.0×

Cheaper than 16% of US stocks

Price / sales
1.4×

Cheaper than 62% of US stocks

Price / book
11.9×

Cheaper than 8% of US stocks

EV / EBITDA
27.9×

Cheaper than 10% of US stocks

Growth & margins
Revenue growth (YoY)
11.6%

Higher than 56% of US stocks

Earnings growth (YoY)
15.2%

Higher than 53% of US stocks

Gross margin
12.8%

Higher than 12% of US stocks

Operating margin
4.0%

Higher than 52% of US stocks

Net margin
3.0%

Higher than 55% of US stocks

Returns & dividend
Return on equity
29.2%

Higher than 87% of US stocks

Return on assets
8.7%

Higher than 90% of US stocks

Dividend yield
0.7%

Higher than 13% of US dividend payers

Bars mark the percentile across the ~4,600 US stocks Ticker Nerd covers, among those reporting the figure.

Key statistics

Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST) statistics: revenue, profit & scale

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 $397.1B and an enterprise value of $385.3B.

  • Revenue in the twelve months to 31 May 2026: $293.6B. The latest quarter grew 11.6% 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.

  • Shares outstanding: 443.5M.

  • Trailing P/E: 45.0×; forward P/E: 39.6× — the forward figure prices analyst consensus estimates, not reported earnings.

  • Forward dividend yield: 0.66%, paying out 27% of earnings.

  • Costco Wholesale Corp. employs 341,000 people — $861K of revenue per employee.

Statement figures: company filings via Twelve Data, four quarters to 31 May 2026 · market figures as at 19 Sept 2026

Data provided by Twelve Data

Peers

COST vs competitors

The nearest names by industry and size, scored by the same model — like for like.

Its peer group, ranked by the same modelDiscount Stores
CompanyMarket capTKN rank
COSTCostco Wholesale Corp.$397.1B
50
WMTWalmart, Inc.$850.7B
45
TGTTarget Corp.$71.6B
95
DGDollar General Corp.$26.9B
82
DLTRDollar Tree, Inc.$21.5B
84
KOThe Coca-Cola Co.*$379.6B
90
PGProcter & Gamble Co.*$340.9B
62

* 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 →

News

Latest COST news & analysis

What to Expect in Markets This Week: Costco, Other Consumer Companies Report; U.S. Central Bankers Hit the Conference Circuit

Investopedia · 20 Sept 2026neutral

Following the Federal Reserve's interest-rate decision last week, investors are expected to turn their attention to consumer companies, including Costco, as they report results this week. U.S. central bankers also head to the conference circuit for further engagements.

Why it matters — Costco watchers would care because its upcoming results will offer a read on consumer demand for food and fuel sales amid a shifting interest-rate environment.

Costco Stock at $892: Here's What History Says Comes Next

The Motley Fool · 20 Sept 2026neutral

An article notes that the last time Costco shares traded at a price-to-earnings ratio of 44.9, the stock rose 39% over the following 12 months. It also observes that Nvidia is currently significantly cheaper than Costco on a valuation basis.

Why it matters — COST watchers would care because the article highlights historical share performance and relative valuation that may inform views on the stock's current price level.

TGT vs. COST: Which Stock Should Value Investors Buy Now?

Zacks Investment Research · 18 Sept 2026neutral

Zacks Investment Research published a comparison of Target (TGT) and Costco (COST) for investors seeking undervalued stocks in the Retail - Discount Stores sector. The article examines which of the two companies might be the better option for value-oriented investors.

Why it matters — Costco is being evaluated against rival Target in a value-investing context, which could influence how investors perceive its valuation relative to peers.

1 Incredible Reason to Buy Costco Stock Before It Reports Earnings on Sept. 24.

The Motley Fool · 18 Sept 2026positive

Costco is scheduled to report its fiscal fourth-quarter results. The article notes that the company has historically declared special dividends every two or three years.

Why it matters — A Costco watcher would care because the upcoming earnings report and the company's pattern of special dividends could affect shareholder returns and expectations.

Costco's DoorDash Launch Came Too Late to Touch the Quarter It Reports September 24

24/7 Wall Street · 18 Sept 2026neutral

Costco is set to report fiscal fourth-quarter earnings on September 24, and its newly announced DoorDash partnership will not factor into those results because it launched too late. The report instead focuses on the actual drivers of the quarter and where the stock's real value lies.

Why it matters — A COST watcher would care because the report points to the fundamental results, rather than the much-discussed DoorDash partnership, as the key indicator of where the company's underlying value actually resides.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about COST stock

What is the COST stock price forecast for 2026-2027?

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.

Is COST stock a buy right now?

Of the 39 analysts covering Costco Wholesale Corp., 24 rate it a Buy, 13 a Hold and 2 a Sell. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model ranks Costco Wholesale Corp. 50 out of 100 across roughly 4,600 US stocks as at 19 Sept 2026. None of this is personal advice — it does not consider your circumstances.

How does Ticker Nerd's model rank COST?

As at 19 Sept 2026, Costco Wholesale Corp. ranks 50 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).

Will COST stock go up?

No one can know that. What the data says: the median 12-month target from 39 analysts implies +22.9% from the last close, and Ticker Nerd's factor model ranks Costco Wholesale Corp. 50 out of 100 as at 19 Sept 2026. Analyst targets are third-party estimates and frequently wrong; none of this is personal advice.

What is the COST stock forecast for 2030?

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.

How has COST stock performed over the past year?

Costco Wholesale Corp. returned -5.4% over the 12 months to 18 Sept 2026, with dividends reinvested. Past performance does not indicate future returns.

What does Costco Wholesale Corp. do?

Costco Wholesale Corporation is a global membership-based warehouse club operator that serves consumers and businesses through a broad range of bulk merchandise and everyday essentials. Costco Wholesale Corporation offers nationally branded and private-label products across food, household goods, electronics, apparel, health and beauty items, and home furnishings, alongside in-store services such as gasoline, pharmacies, optical centers, food courts, hearing-aid centers, and tire installation.

What is the latest news on COST?

The most recent item we track (Investopedia, 20 Sept 2026): "What to Expect in Markets This Week: Costco, Other Consumer Companies Report; U.S. Central Bankers Hit the Conference Circuit". Following the Federal Reserve's interest-rate decision last week, investors are expected to turn their attention to consumer companies, including Costco, as they report results this week. U.S. central bankers also head to the conference circuit for further engagements.

Company

About Costco Wholesale Corp.

Costco Wholesale Corporation is a global membership-based warehouse club operator that serves consumers and businesses through a broad range of bulk merchandise and everyday essentials. Costco Wholesale Corporation offers nationally branded and private-label products across food, household goods, electronics, apparel, health and beauty items, and home furnishings, alongside in-store services such as gasoline, pharmacies, optical centers, food courts, hearing-aid centers, and tire installation. The company also supports digital retail through e-commerce, business centers, and travel-related services, extending its reach beyond the traditional warehouse model. Costco Wholesale Corporation operates across the United States and numerous international markets, using its warehouse format and membership model to position itself as a major player in consumer staples and retail distribution.

CEO Mr. Ron M. Vachris · 341,000 employees · United States · https://www.costco.com