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Costco (COST) Value Investing Data

🇺🇸 USCOST

As of 2026-06-26 · Last updated: 2026-07-07 · Source: SEC EDGAR (10-K), TradingView (price, financials, consensus), stockanalysis (P/E, ROE 5-year), Company IR · Prices & financials updated periodically (not real-time) · Information tool (not investment advice)

Costco (COST) Financial Health Check
In short: There are some financial points to watch
Does it earn well?
Profitable, but average
It makes a profit, but not very efficiently.
Metrics · ROE 29.2% · Operating Margin 3.8% · Net Margin 3.0%
Will the company survive?
Low debt burden — stable
Debt is smaller than equity and it can meet short-term obligations.
Metrics · D/E ~25% · Current Ratio 1.07
Is the price expensive now?
On the expensive side
Even accounting for growth expectations, the price is set high.
Metrics · P/E 47.9 · P/B 14.5

Warehouse-retail leader with a 93% renewal rate, compounding at a 9-yr revenue CAGR of +9.8% and EPS +14.6%. Debt is low (0.25x equity); the 48x P/E is rich.

Compiled from public financial data. Not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. · Source: TradingView (margins, debt, liquidity, P/B are TTM), as of 2026-06-26

Business Summary · Key Value Metrics
Membership warehouse-club retailer that keeps merchandise margins razor-thin and earns the bulk of its profit from membership fees. Its Kirkland private label accounts for roughly 30% of sales. FY2025 revenue was $275B, with TTM revenue of $293.6B.
Current Price
$952.54
+1.09% +$10.30 · Close 2026-06-26
Analyst Consensus Target (external reference)
$1094.53
Avg. of 39 external analysts · TradingView (39-analyst consensus, Buy)
P/E (TTM)
47.9x
TTM · rich valuation
ROE
29.2%
TTM
Operating Margin
3.8%
TTM · deliberately thin margin
Net Margin
3.0%
TTM
Revenue Growth
+9.2%
TTM YoY
Market Cap
$422.4B
As of 2026-06-26

Economic Moat · Key Business Segments

Costco combines strong lock-in from an ~93% membership renewal rate with buying power built on $293.6B (TTM) in revenue. It sells merchandise at essentially cost and earns its profit from membership fees (about half of operating income), a model rivals find extremely hard to copy. Its Kirkland private label makes up roughly 30% of sales (source: company IR · TradingView).

Membership lock-in~93% renewal rate. Members rarely leave even after fee hikes. Membership fees are the core of profit.
Economies of scale$293.6B (TTM) revenue underpins immense buying power, enabling the lowest prices.
Trusted low pricesSelling near cost has cemented the belief that Costco is the cheapest.
Kirkland private labelThe in-house brand is ~30% of sales, defending margins and differentiating.

10-Year Financial Trends

Revenue grew at a 9-year CAGR of +9.8%, with operating income +12.2%, net income +14.5%, and diluted EPS +14.6% — earnings outpaced sales (operating leverage). FY2025 set records: revenue $275.2B, operating income $10.4B, and EPS $18.21. Operating margin is deliberately held at a thin 3-4% (source: SEC EDGAR 10-K · company IR).

10-Year Growth

Revenue$275B · CAGR +9.8%
$275B$0.0B20162025
Operating Income$10.4B · CAGR +12.2%
$10.4B$0.0B20162025
EPS$18.21 · CAGR +14.6%
$18.21$0.0020162025

10-Year Valuation

P/E (year-end)51.8x · avg 44.9x
54.7x37.6x20212025
ROE30.7% · avg 29.3%
30.9%27.3%20212025
Operating Margin3.8% · avg 3.3%
3.8%3.1%20162025
📊 Annual Data Table (COST) — expand/collapse
YearRevenue (B$)Op. Income (B$)EPS ($)P/E (x)ROE (%)Op. Margin (%)
2016118.73.75.333.1
20171294.16.083.2
2018141.64.57.093.2
2019152.74.78.263.1
2020166.85.49.023.2
2021195.96.711.274027.63.4
20222277.813.1440.530.63.4
2023242.38.114.1638.427.53.3
2024254.59.316.5653.930.33.7
2025275.210.418.2151.830.73.8

Recent Quarterly Operating Income

Quarterly operating income YoY growth:

2021 +17%2022 +16%2023 +7%2024 +5%2025 +8%

9-Year CAGR: Revenue +9.8% · Operating Income +12.2% · Net Income +14.5% · EPS +14.6%

Sources: SEC EDGAR 10-K · stockanalysis · company IR. Fiscal-year (late-Aug/early-Sep) GAAP basis; EPS is diluted. P/E and ROE cover the last 5 years (stockanalysis) due to data limits, while revenue, operating income, EPS, and operating margin cover 10 years.

Mega-Cap Value Metric Comparison

The 3.8% operating margin is a deliberate choice, but Costco's membership model and revenue growth (+9.2% TTM) outpace Walmart and Target. Its 93% membership renewal rate is the key differentiator. That said, at a 47.9x P/E it carries a very high valuation premium (source: TradingView · company filings).

Metric★ COSTWMTTGT
Operating Margin3.8%~4.5%~5%
P/E (TTM)47.9~35~15
Revenue YoY Growth+9.2%~5%flat

P/E and operating margin = TTM, revenue growth = TTM YoY · sources: TradingView · company filings, 2026-06-26.

Key Risk Factors (from 10-K)

Stretched valuation At a 47.9x P/E, an earnings miss could trigger a sharp drop. Much of the expected ~10% compound growth is already priced in.Source: TradingView
Slowing growth and saturation North American warehouse count is nearing saturation, and profit growth could slow from the past ~14% pace. The pace of international expansion is the key.Source: Company IR
Tariffs and weaker spending A high share of imported goods exposes it to tariffs, and a downturn could prompt membership cancellations.Source: Company 10-K
✦ ValueCrab Dashboard PreviewCOST $952.54 +1.09% · as of 2026-06-26
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Value Investing FAQ (COST)

Q. What are Costco's (COST) key value-investing metrics?P/E (TTM) 47.9, ROE 29.2%, operating margin 3.8% (deliberately thin), net margin 3.0%, 9-year revenue CAGR +9.8%, and EPS CAGR +14.6% (sources: TradingView · company IR, as of 2026-06-26).
Q. Why is the operating margin so low at 3.8%?Costco sells merchandise at essentially cost and earns its profit from membership fees. The low margin is a strategic choice rather than a weakness, which is why the renewal rate is a high 93%.
Q. Is the stock expensive right now?At a 47.9x P/E and a 4.7 PEG, it sits very high versus its history and its peers. Business quality is top-tier, but the valuation burden is heavy. We do not offer a valuation call.

Same Category

US · S&P 50 category

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