FY2026 Earnings Estimate for COST Issued By Erste Group Bank

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 note issued to investors on Friday, June 5th. Erste Group Bank analyst H. Engel now forecasts that the retailer will post earnings per share of $20.49 for the year, up from their previous forecast of $20.44. The consensus estimate for Costco Wholesale’s current full-year earnings is $20.38 per share. Erste Group Bank also issued estimates for Costco Wholesale’s FY2027 earnings at $22.61 EPS.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.94 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $4.28 EPS.

Several other equities research analysts have also weighed in on COST. Bank of America increased their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. UBS Group lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 20th. Weiss Ratings raised Costco Wholesale from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Thursday, June 4th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, TD Cowen reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $1,175.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,060.41.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 1.5%

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $983.37 on Thursday. Costco Wholesale has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,096.50. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $1,006.04 and its 200-day moving average is $966.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.07. The company has a market cap of $436.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 49.47, a PEG ratio of 4.69 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st were given a $1.47 dividend. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is currently 29.58%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Costco Wholesale

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Palisade Asset Management LLC increased its position in Costco Wholesale by 1.4% in the 4th quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC now owns 702 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $605,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares during the period. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% during the 4th quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. now owns 3,194 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,754,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares during the period. Wealth Effects LLC boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 1.2% during the 1st quarter. Wealth Effects LLC now owns 874 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $871,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares during the period. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.8% in the first quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. now owns 551 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $549,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Finally, First National Bank of Hutchinson grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.9% in the first quarter. First National Bank of Hutchinson now owns 1,098 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,094,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Jim Cramer said investors “buy some here,” reinforcing a bullish view on Costco as a long-term holding despite a tougher consumer backdrop. Article title
• Positive Sentiment: Costco reported strong May net sales growth, including a 14.5% year-over-year increase, and one article noted digital sales jumped 21% while gas volumes hit a record, signaling healthy demand across key categories. Article title
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage highlighted Costco’s continued membership and traffic strength, with analysts and commentators pointing to upside and strong institutional interest in the stock. Article title
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco is also drawing attention for ESG and governance reasons after CEO Ron Vachris was recognized for board diversity leadership, which may matter to some investors but is not an immediate earnings driver. Article title
• Negative Sentiment: Costco is fighting a class-action lawsuit over its $5 rotisserie chicken, with plaintiffs alleging misleading “no preservatives” marketing, creating a potential reputational and legal overhang. Article title
• Negative Sentiment: Some commentary also suggests Costco may face tougher comparisons in a price-sensitive consumer environment, with rivals like Dollar Tree seen as having a pricing advantage on smaller-pack items. Article title

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.