Costco Wholesale Corporation PE Ratio
Data as of June 01, 2026
PE Ratio (TTM)
49.76
Stock Price
$956.32
EPS (TTM)
$19.22
Forward PE
42.29
How It's Calculated
49.76 = $956.32 ÷ $19.22
What This Means
Costco Wholesale Corporation's PE ratio of 49.8 is significantly elevated, which often reflects very high growth expectations — or possible overvaluation.
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 PE ratio is one of the most widely cited valuation multiples. For Costco Wholesale Corporation, it reflects how much investors pay today for each dollar of trailing earnings. High-growth Consumer Defensive names often carry elevated PE ratios when the market prices in faster future profits, while mature companies with stable cash flows may trade at lower multiples even in the same sector.
Sector Comparison
Among Consumer Defensive names on our S&P 100 coverage, Costco Wholesale Corporation's PE ratio of 49.76 can be compared with peers such as WMT (40.76), KO (24.85), PG (21.02). 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.
PEG Ratio
4.86
Sector
Consumer Defensive
Other COST Metrics
Frequently Asked Questions
What does COST's PE ratio mean?
The PE ratio shows how much investors pay per dollar of trailing earnings for Costco Wholesale Corporation. A trailing PE of 49.76 means the market is pricing the stock at 49.76 times last twelve months' EPS — useful for comparing valuation across time and versus Consumer Defensive peers, not as a buy/sell signal on its own.
Is 49.76 high or low vs sector peers?
Among Consumer Defensive names in our S&P 100 coverage, peers such as MO (14.53), TGT (16.79), PG (21.02) offer context. COST's PE of 49.76 should be read with growth, margins, and balance-sheet risk — high PE can mean strong growth expectations; low PE can mean value or weaker outlook.
How often is this PE updated?
StockCalc refreshes COST metrics on U.S. trading days; this page shows data as of June 01, 2026. PE moves with price daily and with EPS when companies report earnings.
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