COSTConsumer Defensive · Discount StoresThe 39 Wall Street analysts covering Costco Wholesale Corp. hold a median 12-month price target of $1,065 — +8.5% from the last close. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model, run across ~4,600 US stocks, ranks it 57 of 100 as at 14 Oct 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 (98): The share price has been relatively steady.
Value (27): 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 +8.5% from it.
Of the 20 most recent actions, 1 moved their price target up and 6 moved it down.
| Date | Firm | Action | Rating | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Oct 2026 | RBC Capital | Reiterates | Sector Perform | $1,000 |
| 28 Sept 2026 | Argus Research | Reiterates | Buy | $1,230 |
| 28 Sept 2026 | Argus Research | Reiterates | Buy | — |
| 28 Sept 2026 | Deutsche Bank | Maintains | Buy | — |
| 28 Sept 2026 | Deutsche Bank | Maintains | Buy | $1,091 → $1,079 |
| 25 Sept 2026 | Bernstein | Maintains | Outperform | — |
| 25 Sept 2026 | Bernstein | Maintains | Outperform | $1,144 → $1,143 |
| 25 Sept 2026 | DA Davidson | Maintains | Neutral | $1,000 → $1,040 |
| 25 Sept 2026 | DA Davidson | Maintains | Neutral | — |
| 25 Sept 2026 | Freedom Broker | Maintains | Buy | $1,030 → $1,010 |
| 25 Sept 2026 | Freedom Broker | Maintains | Buy | — |
| 25 Sept 2026 | JP Morgan | Maintains | Overweight | $1,100 → $1,015 |
| 25 Sept 2026 | JP Morgan | Maintains | Overweight | — |
| 25 Sept 2026 | Mizuho | Maintains | Outperform | $1,100 → $1,065 |
| 25 Sept 2026 | Mizuho | Maintains | Outperform | — |
| 25 Sept 2026 | Raymond James | Maintains | Outperform | $1,100 → $1,050 |
| 25 Sept 2026 | Raymond James | Maintains | Outperform | — |
| 25 Sept 2026 | RBC Capital | Reiterates | Sector Perform | $1,000 |
| 25 Sept 2026 | RBC Capital | Reiterates | Sector Perform | — |
| 25 Sept 2026 | Roth Capital | Reiterates | Sell | — |
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 14 Oct 2026, Costco Wholesale Corp. returned +4.4% against +17.5% for the S&P 500, dividends included.
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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 61% of US stocks
Cheaper than 8% of US stocks
Cheaper than 9% of US stocks
Higher than 55% of US stocks
Higher than 53% 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 67% 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 $423.0B and an enterprise value of $414.0B.
Revenue in the twelve months to 31 May 2026: $293.6B. The latest quarter grew 11.1% 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: 46.0×; forward P/E: 38.2× — the forward figure prices analyst consensus estimates, not reported earnings.
Forward dividend yield: 0.62%, paying out 27% of earnings.
Costco Wholesale Corp. employs 355,000 people — $827K 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. | $423.0B | 57 |
| WMTWalmart, Inc. | $925.8B | 46 |
| TGTTarget Corp. | $70.3B | 97 |
| DGDollar General Corp. | $28.6B | 87 |
| DLTRDollar Tree, Inc. | $23.4B | 88 |
| KOThe Coca-Cola Co.* | $394.8B | 92 |
| PGProcter & Gamble Co.* | $364.5B | 69 |
* 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 →
State Street Investment Management launched four sector ETFs designed to give each sector’s largest companies their full weight. The excerpt says XLKM aims to assign Nvidia 20.93%, versus 15.41% in its Select Sector counterpart, XLK.
Why it matters — The excerpt provides no specific information about Costco, so it does not indicate a direct impact for COST watchers.
Costco’s board declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.47 per share. It is payable November 13, 2026, to shareholders of record at the close of business on October 30, 2026.
Why it matters — COST watchers may note the announced dividend amount and the payment and record dates.
A hotter-than-expected September inflation report sent money toward retailers selling everyday necessities. Walmart was trading higher, while Costco and Target edged higher.
Why it matters — The report links Costco’s modest gain with investor interest in defensive retailers amid inflation concerns.
Zacks Investment Research says Costco has a $21.3 billion liquidity cushion, manageable debt and robust cash flows. These financial resources support warehouse expansion and investments.
Why it matters — Costco watchers may note the balance-sheet strength described as providing a competitive edge over retail competitors and funding expansion and investment.
Costco Wholesale's September sales update provides fresh insight into its retail momentum. The excerpt describes the company as a dominant warehouse-club retailer with a long track record of growth.
Why it matters — COST watchers may use the September sales update to assess the company's recent retail momentum.
The 39 Wall Street analysts covering Costco Wholesale Corp. have a median 12-month price target of $1,065, with estimates ranging from $770 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., 24 rate it a Buy, 13 a Hold and 2 a Sell. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model ranks Costco Wholesale Corp. 57 out of 100 across roughly 4,600 US stocks as at 14 Oct 2026. None of this is personal advice — it does not consider your circumstances.
As at 14 Oct 2026, Costco Wholesale Corp. ranks 57 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 (98 of 100).
No one can know that. What the data says: the median 12-month target from 39 analysts implies +8.5% from the last close, and Ticker Nerd's factor model ranks Costco Wholesale Corp. 57 out of 100 as at 14 Oct 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: $770 to $1,315 over the next 12 months.
Costco Wholesale Corp. returned +4.4% over the 12 months to 14 Oct 2026, with dividends reinvested. Past performance does not indicate future returns.
Costco Wholesale Corp is a multinational membership-based retail company that operates warehouse clubs serving households and businesses. Its core business centers on offering a broad assortment of merchandise, including groceries, fresh foods, electronics, home goods, apparel, and household essentials, alongside a growing mix of private-label products.
The most recent item we track (ETF Trends, 14 Oct 2026): "New State Street Sector ETFs Give Biggest Stocks Full Weight". State Street Investment Management launched four sector ETFs designed to give each sector’s largest companies their full weight. The excerpt says XLKM aims to assign Nvidia 20.93%, versus 15.41% in its Select Sector counterpart, XLK.
Costco Wholesale Corp is a multinational membership-based retail company that operates warehouse clubs serving households and businesses. Its core business centers on offering a broad assortment of merchandise, including groceries, fresh foods, electronics, home goods, apparel, and household essentials, alongside a growing mix of private-label products. The company also provides a range of ancillary services such as gasoline, pharmacies, optical services, food courts, hearing-aid centers, tire installation, travel, and business services. In addition, Costco Wholesale Corp supports e-commerce and business center operations, extending its retail model beyond physical warehouses. The company serves customers across the United States and multiple international markets, making it a significant player in the global discount retail and membership warehouse segment.
CEO Mr. Ron M. Vachris · 355,000 employees · United States · https://www.costco.com
