Costco (COST)
Runs low-price membership warehouses built on limited selection, rapid turnover, and annual fees.
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Runs membership warehouses and e-commerce sites selling a limited assortment of bulk groceries, fresh foods, non-foods, fuel, and services, including Kirkland Signature goods. Volume purchasing and efficient distribution support low merchandise margins, while annual membership fees and high renewal are central to profitability.
Operates membership warehouses and e-commerce sites selling foods and sundries, fresh foods, non-foods, and Kirkland Signature private-label goods. Warehouse ancillary businesses include gasoline, pharmacy, optical, food courts, hearing aids, and tire installation; other operations include business centers and travel.
Combines a limited selection of fast-selling items with bulk packaging, volume purchasing, cross-docking, pallet displays, and no-frills facilities. High sales volumes and rapid inventory turnover support gross margins below those of most retailers, while annual membership fees add a recurring revenue stream. The network is concentrated in the United States and Canada, with warehouses across Mexico, Asia, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
Member renewal and Kirkland Signature quality are central to loyalty and profitability. Results depend heavily on U.S. and Canadian operations, with California representing a large share of U.S. sales.
Company facts
Target rangeAs of Sep 21, 2026
Latest analyst notes
| Date | Firm | Action | Prior | Current |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 8, 2026 | Freedom Broker | Upgrade | ||
| Sep 4, 2026 | Deutsche Bank | Reiterate | Rating: —Target: $1,120 | Target: $1,091 |
| Sep 4, 2026 | Bernstein | Target | Target: $1,192 | Target: $1,144 |
| Aug 6, 2026 | Deutsche Bank | Reiterate | Rating: —Target: $1,106 | Target: $1,120 |
| Jul 13, 2026 | RBC Capital | Initiate | Rating: —Target: — | Target: $1,000 |
EPSReportedEstimate
RevenueReportedEstimate
Balance sheet, May 10, 2026Cash & short-term investments $20.00B · Total debt $8.23B · Total assets $86.43B · Shareholders' equity $33.51B
- Revenue
- $70.53B
- Operating income
- $2.82B
- Net income
- $2.19B
HistoryDividendAnnual yield
| Institutions | 73.57% | 326.38M shares | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4,367 holders · as of Jun 30, 2026 | |||
| Insiders | 0.15% | 665.3K shares | |
| 28 holders · as of Sep 14, 2026 | |||
| Other | 26.28% | 116.61M shares | |
| remainder | |||
443.65M company shares as of Sep 22, 2026 · institutions as of Jun 30, 2026 · holders as of their latest filing
Top shareholders13F · 13D/G · Form 4
| Holder | Stake | Shares | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
BlackRock, Inc.Institution | 7.71% | 34.20M | as of Jun 30, 2026 |
Vanguard Capital Management LLCInstitution | 6.53% | 28.98M | as of Jun 30, 2026 |
State Street CorpInstitution | 4.14% | 18.38M | as of Jun 30, 2026 |
Invesco Ltd.Institution | 3.15% | 13.99M | as of Jun 30, 2026 |
Geode Capital Management, LLCInstitution | 2.40% | 10.63M | as of Jun 30, 2026 |
Insider tradesForm 4
| Date | Insider | Role | Shares | Avg price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 23, 2026 | Kenneth D. Denman | director | −885 | $957.45 |
| Apr 1, 2026 | Caton Frates | officer: Executive Vice President | −700 | $993.00 |
| Mar 9, 2026 | Claudine Adamo | officer: Executive Vice President | −730 | $1,003.02 |
| Jan 21, 2026 | Teresa A. Jones | officer: Executive Vice President | −850 | $986.26 |
| Jan 16, 2026 | Susan L. Decker | director | −458 | $955.00 |
- Walmart
Sam's Club warehouse rival plus Walmart mass-retail on every category.
- Amazon
Membership-based e-commerce and grocery ecosystem contesting bulk value online.
- BJ's Wholesale Club
Only other U.S.-listed pure warehouse club, concentrated on the East Coast.
- Kroger
Largest pure US grocery chain competing on food, pharmacy, private label.
- Target
Broadline mass retailer contesting household wallet without a membership gate.
Compare
| Company | Price | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Costco | $897.23 | −0.14% | $398.46B | 45.2 | 40.9 | 1.4 | +11.6% |
| Walmart | $109.76 | +2.16% | $855.02B | 38.8 | 36.7 | 1.2 | +5.9% |
| Amazon | $255.76 | −1.04% | $2.78T | 20.8 | 27.4 | 3.6 | +19.6% |
| BJ's Wholesale Club | $92.10 | −0.23% | $11.79B | 20.2 | 19.0 | 0.5 | +15.7% |
| Kroger | $59.18 | −0.85% | $36.57B | 32.3 | 11.9 | 0.2 | +2.0% |
| Target | $159.80 | +1.33% | $71.63B | 16.4 | 17.2 | 0.7 | +5.3% |
| Median | 20.8 | 19.0 | 0.7 | +5.9% |