Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) Stock Score, Valuation & Financial Research
Costco Wholesale Corporation is in the Consumer Defensive sector and Discount Stores industry. It is reviewed using Wall Street Score's company-strength, valuation, growth and financial-health framework. The current Wall Street Score is 46/100.
Quick answer for COST
Costco Wholesale Corporation currently has a Wall Street Score of 46/100. The stored market price is USD 1.01K. Its financial score is 43/100. Its valuation score is 10/100. The latest WSS change is +0.1 points. These figures are a research snapshot, not a buy or sell recommendation.
What Costco Wholesale Corporation does
Costco Wholesale Corporation, alongside its group entities, operates membership-based retail warehouses across a broad international scope, spanning the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Spain, France, Iceland, China, and Taiwan. These outlets provide customers with an extensive array of both well-known branded and proprietary private-label products. Their vast inventory includes household staples, shelf-stable groceries, confectionery, chilled and frozen items, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and deli selections. Furthermore, the stores stock major appliances, consumer electronics, health and beauty aids, hardware, garden and patio furniture, sporting goods, vehicle tires, toys, seasonal merchandise, office supplies, automotive maintenance products, postage services, event tickets, apparel, small kitchen appliances, home furnishings, domestic textiles, kitchenware, custom-order kiosks, and fine jewelry. Fresh departments offer meat, produce, a service deli, and bakery items. Beyond retail goods, Costco provides in-store amenities such as pharmacies, optical clinics, food courts, hearing aid centers, and tire installation facilities, in addition to managing 636 gas stations. The company also extends its offerings online through business delivery, travel booking, and same-day grocery fulfillment in various countries. As of August 29, 2021, Costco maintained a global network of 815 membership warehouses, with 564 located in the United States and Puerto Rico, 105 in Canada, 39 in Mexico, 30 in Japan, 29 in the United Kingdom, 16 in South Korea, 14 in Taiwan, 12 in Australia, 3 in Spain, and one each in Iceland, France, and China. Digital storefronts facilitate e-commerce operations in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and Australia. Founded in 1976, the enterprise was originally known as Costco Companies, Inc. before officially adopting the name Costco Wholesale Corporation in August 1999. Its corporate headquarters are situated in Issaquah, Washington.
Company business and revenue
Research reporting period: 2026-08-30. A research update is not a new financial filing.
How the company makes money
Costco operates a chain of membership-based warehouses that offer a limited selection of nationally branded and private-label products at low prices. The company generates revenue primarily through merchandise sales and annual membership fees paid by its members.
Products and services
- Costco sells a wide range of groceries, electronics, appliances, apparel, and home goods, while also providing services such as gasoline, pharmacy, optical, hearing aid, and travel services.
Brands and product families
- Kirkland Signature — The company's primary private-label brand covering a wide range of product categories. Source
Customer types
Individual members; Business members.
Suppliers, materials and equipment
- Various brand-name merchandise producers — The company maintains direct relationships with many producers of brand-name merchandise and does not rely on any single supplier for a significant portion of its inventory. Source
Competitors and product-market comparisons
- Walmart — A global retailer operating supermarkets, supercenters, and discount stores. Source
- Target — A general merchandise retailer operating stores and online platforms. Source
- Kroger — A supermarket chain and multi-department store operator. Source
- Amazon — A global online retailer and provider of cloud and digital services. Source
Business strengths to evaluate
Business risks and research considerations
Sources: Annual company report
Company research refreshed 2026-10-04. This is saved research, not a live check of company relationships. Check the reporting period and source disclosures. Financial figures and scores follow their separate update schedules.
COST financial snapshot
Statement amounts: USD. Quote amounts: USD. No exchange-rate conversion is performed in this snapshot. Market-capitalization currency is not supplied by this projection.
- Wall Street Score:
- 46/100
- Stored price:
- USD 1.01K
- Market capitalization:
- 448.57B (currency not supplied)
- Revenue:
- USD 303.15B
- Net income:
- USD 9.23B
- Free cash flow:
- USD 9.39B
- Cash:
- USD 20.21B
- Total debt:
- USD 8.58B
- EPS:
- USD 27.63
- P/E ratio:
- 36.6x
- Financial score:
- 43/100
- Valuation score:
- 10/100
- Revenue score:
- 18/100
What stands out
- Reported year-over-year revenue growth is +0.0%.
- Free cash flow is USD 9.39B, positive for the stored period.
- The balance sheet shows USD 20.21B of cash versus USD 8.58B of total debt, an excess of cash over debt on these two reported measures.
- The latest Wall Street Score change is +0.1 points: COST increased 0.1 points because Capital improved by 2 points.
Company-specific financial comparisons
The following are calculated from saved company data, not forecasts or statements about future performance. Differences in reporting dates or units can make a ratio misleading; verify the original filings.
- Free cash flow is 3.1% of stored revenue. This is a simple cross-field ratio, not a verified same-period cash conversion margin; confirm reporting periods before comparison.
- Net income equals 3.0% of stored revenue. This is an indicative ratio only; accounting periods and units should be verified in filings.
- Cash exceeds debt by USD 11.63B using the stored balance-sheet values. This does not include other obligations or restricted cash.
Questions worth answering for COST
Use these questions to check the stored figures against the latest company filings. They identify issues to investigate; they are not findings about management's plans or future results.
- Can COST maintain its current revenue growth rate and improve the amount of that revenue that turns into earnings and cash?
- Is COST's positive free cash flow repeatable, or is the current level being helped by temporary working-capital or spending changes?
- How is COST likely to use its cash advantage: reinvestment, acquisitions, debt reduction, dividends or buybacks?
- What future growth or profitability would be needed to justify COST's current valuation?
What the numbers mean
Its current valuation score is 10/100, which Wall Street Score classifies as weak within the model's valuation framework.
The financial score is 43/100. This is a starting point for reviewing liquidity, leverage and cash-flow strength rather than a stand-alone recommendation.
A strong company and an attractive stock price are not always the same thing. Revenue, earnings, free cash flow, debt, management quality, competitive advantage and valuation should be considered together. Wall Street Score organizes these inputs into a consistent research framework so investors can identify what deserves deeper review.
Data freshness: Financial data last refreshed 2026-10-01.
Research-input completeness: 100% of the scoring inputs required for this public page are currently available.
How to research COST
Start by understanding how the company makes money. Then compare revenue and earnings trends, cash generation, debt, liquidity and valuation. Review the company's latest filings and earnings reports before acting on any score or model estimate.
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Data may change as company filings and market prices update. Educational research only; not a buy or sell recommendation.