Costco Wholesale Corporation P/B Ratio
Data as of June 01, 2026
P/B Ratio
25.65
Stock Price
$956.32
Book Value/Share
$37.28
Sector
Consumer Defensive
How It's Calculated
25.65 = $956.32 ÷ $37.28
What This Means
Costco Wholesale Corporation's P/B ratio of 25.65 is significantly elevated, often seen in asset-light businesses like tech or services where intangible assets drive most of the value.
About Costco Wholesale Corporation
Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) operates in the Consumer Defensive sector, specifically in Discount Stores. With a market capitalization of about $424.27B, it ranks as a mega-cap stock — one of the largest publicly traded companies.
Shares recently traded near $956.32, within a 52-week range of $844.06 to $1096.50 (-12.8% from the high, +13.3% from the low). Beta of 0.91 is broadly in line with typical market sensitivity.
Trailing profit margin is about 3.0%, signaling modest profitability that investors should weigh against growth plans.
Understanding This Metric
The price-to-book ratio compares market price to net asset value per share. For Costco Wholesale Corporation, P/B is especially useful when earnings are volatile or temporarily depressed. In Consumer Defensive, asset-heavy business models often anchor closer to book value, while asset-light models may trade far above book.
Sector Comparison
Among Consumer Defensive names on our S&P 100 coverage, Costco Wholesale Corporation's P/B ratio of 25.65 can be compared with peers such as WMT (9.26), KO (10.11), PG (6.22). Sector context helps interpretation, but each company's growth profile and balance sheet differ — use multiple metrics before drawing conclusions. View all Consumer Defensive stocks.
Key Takeaways
- COST is grouped in the Consumer Defensive sector for peer comparisons.
- Recent beta of 0.91 suggests market-like price sensitivity.
- Trailing profit margin of 3.0% provides context for how much earnings support the headline multiple.
Related Tools & Guides
Explore calculators and guides connected to this metric, or view all metrics for COST.
Other COST Metrics
Frequently Asked Questions
What does COST's price-to-book ratio indicate?
P/B compares share price to book value per share. Costco Wholesale Corporation's P/B of 25.65 reflects how the market prices net assets — especially relevant for asset-heavy Consumer Defensive business models.
Is 25.65 above or below book value?
A P/B above 1.0 (25.65) means the market values COST above accounting book value — often due to brands, growth, or intangible assets.
How does P/B compare within Consumer Defensive?
Peer P/B levels in Consumer Defensive (e.g. CL (497.96), KO (10.11), WMT (9.26)) provide context; asset-light vs asset-heavy models differ materially.
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