FY2026 EPS Estimate for Costco Wholesale Lifted by Analyst

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) – Equities research analysts at Erste Group Bank lifted their FY2026 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for Costco Wholesale in a report released on Tuesday, March 24th. Erste Group Bank analyst H. Engel now forecasts that the retailer will earn $20.43 per share for the year, up from their prior forecast of $20.28. The consensus estimate for Costco Wholesale’s current full-year earnings is $18.03 per share. Erste Group Bank also issued estimates for Costco Wholesale’s FY2027 earnings at $22.47 EPS.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $4.02 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year.

Several other brokerages have also issued reports on COST. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $1,044.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. TD Cowen reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Northcoast Research set a $1,100.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 24th. Bank of America began coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, February 27th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $1,185.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Rothschild & Co Redburn lifted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,039.13.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $974.86 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $432.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 50.69, a P/E/G ratio of 4.81 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. Costco Wholesale has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,067.08. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $985.83 and its 200 day moving average is $938.89.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 30th were given a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 27.04%.

Insider Activity

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total value of $838,321.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 4,228 shares in the company, valued at $4,169,907.28. This trade represents a 16.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, Director Susan L. Decker sold 458 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $955.00, for a total value of $437,390.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 8,532 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,148,060. The trade was a 5.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last three months, insiders have sold 7,645 shares of company stock worth $7,049,302. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 49.3% in the 3rd quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated now owns 3,780 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $3,499,000 after purchasing an additional 1,248 shares in the last quarter. Permanent Capital Management LP purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $874,000. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 43.6% during the third quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 23,444 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $21,700,000 after buying an additional 7,116 shares during the last quarter. FORA Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at approximately $2,781,000. Finally, Lombard Odier Asset Management Switzerland SA lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 8.9% in the second quarter. Lombard Odier Asset Management Switzerland SA now owns 18,132 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $17,950,000 after buying an additional 1,480 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s new Kirkland energy drink is being positioned as a value private‑label offering that should drive incremental sales and hurt branded competitors — this is seen by markets as a low‑cost growth lever for Costco. Why Costco’s cheap new Kirkland energy drink won’t crush Celsius
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage highlights strong member response to the Kirkland energy drink and frames the launch as another example of Costco using its private label to expand assortments and margins — a near‑term positive for top‑line and gross‑margin outlooks. Costco’s new energy drink delights fans, rattles competition
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple outlets note that Costco’s product expansion is putting pressure on smaller branded peers (e.g., Celsius), which markets interpreted as confirmation that Costco can capture share in higher‑growth categories. Celsius Stock Jolted After Costco Offers Energy-Drink Brand for Less
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage remains broadly positive: consensus price target implies material upside, but reports flag rising concerns about membership growth and valuation — a mixed signal for future returns. Analysts Bullish on Costco Wholesale (COST) Despite Increasing Concerns Regarding Membership Growth Trends and Valuation
• Positive Sentiment: Analyses on Costco’s gas‑pricing strategy emphasize it as a membership retention/acquisition tool that stabilizes traffic and revenue — supportive for recurring revenue and same‑store trends. Here’s Why Costco’s Gas Pricing Strategy Is Good News for Shareholders
• Negative Sentiment: Separate pieces call out valuation worries and include Costco on lists of overvalued names — a reminder that the stock’s premium multiple leaves it vulnerable to sentiment shifts if membership or comp trends slow. 5 Most Overvalued Companies According to the Media
• Neutral Sentiment: Regulatory/legal flow: Bloomberg Law flags Costco as a target in consumer tariff‑refund actions — keep an eye on potential filings, though no immediate financial impact has been reported. FedEx, Costco, UPS Are Main Targets for Consumer Tariff Refunds

About Costco Wholesale

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a global chain of membership-only warehouse clubs that sell a wide array of merchandise in bulk at discounted prices. The company’s product mix includes groceries, fresh and frozen food, household goods, electronics, apparel, and seasonal items, augmented by its prominent private-label brand, Kirkland Signature. Costco’s business model centers on annual membership fees and high-volume, low-margin sales, designed to drive repeat purchasing and strong customer loyalty among both consumers and small-business buyers.

Beyond merchandise, Costco provides a range of ancillary services that complement its warehouses, including gasoline stations, pharmacy and optical services, hearing aid centers, photo services, and travel and insurance products.