COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP /NEW(COST)Stock Analysis
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Rank #489 of 2,879 stocksTOP 25%
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Rankings refresh quarterly once 80% of peers have filed (~45 days after quarter-end). Next update: ~Aug 14, 2026.
Revenue Growth
Profitability
Balance Sheet
Earnings Quality
Free Cash Flow
Institutional Flow
Revenue Scale
Dilution Risk
COST Stock Analysis & AI Quality Score
AI stock analysis and institutional research for COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP /NEW (COST), a Consumer Discretionary sector company. 13F Pro's AI-powered ranking engine scores COST at 67.0/100 on a 32-signal composite quality model, placing it at rank #489 of 2,879 stocks — the top 25% of the AI-ranked universe. COST scores in the top quartile across revenue scale (99.6), balance sheet strength (87.7). Based on the latest XBRL financial filings (Q3 2026), COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP /NEW reports quarterly revenue of $70.5B, net income of $2.2B, an operating margin of 4.0%. Top institutional holders of COST by reported 13-F value include BlackRock,, VANGUARD CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, STATE STREET, based on the most recent SEC filings. COST trades on the Nasdaq exchange and files with the SEC under CIK 909832. 13F Pro's AI research platform runs 10 specialized AI analysts — value, growth, momentum, macro, and activist specialists — that debate COST daily and publish AI-generated analysis with cited SEC sources. The platform aggregates historical XBRL financial facts, 10-Q and 10-K filings, insider Form 4 transactions, and institutional 13-F holdings for COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP /NEW directly from SEC EDGAR. COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP /NEW's 13F Pro composite quality score has ranged between 8 and 67 since 2021, currently 67.0 — an improving long-term trajectory across 56 quarterly and live scoring snapshots.
What's Driving COST's Business? Latest 10-Q Breakdown
✓ 12/12 datapoints verifiedAI-extracted from COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP /NEW's 10-Q filed 2026-06-03 — Q3 FY2026 (12 weeks ended May 10, 2026). Every figure is machine-verified against the filing text on SEC EDGAR.
Net sales increased 12% to $69.2B and net income rose to $2.2B ($4.93 diluted EPS) as comparable sales growth of 10% and membership fee increases drove results.
Biggest Revenue Drivers
Total revenue: $70.5B+12% YoY
Comparable sales increased 10%, driven by 7% average ticket growth and 2% shopping frequency increase; gasoline prices contributed 221 bps to growth.
Driven by new member sign-ups, membership fee increases effective September 1, 2024, and upgrades to Executive Membership.
Largest Expense Items
Gross margin percentage decreased 21 basis points; excluding gasoline inflation impact, margin increased 1 basis point.
SG&A as percentage of net sales decreased 20 basis points; excluding gasoline inflation, decreased 2 basis points.
Related to Senior Notes and financing leases.
Margins: Gross margin percentage decreased 21 basis points to 11.04%, but excluding gasoline price inflation increased 1 basis point. SG&A expense decreased to 8.96% of net sales, reflecting leverage from sales growth partially offset by higher warehouse operating costs.
Watch Items from the Filing
- Tariff litigation: Four class actions filed in March 2026 seeking refunds of tariffs passed to members via higher prices under IEEPA; company filed motions to dismiss in two cases.
- Labor litigation: Multiple class actions pending in California, Washington alleging wage/hour violations (meal breaks, overtime, wage theft). Company denies material allegations; motions to dismiss/stay granted in several cases.
- Membership renewal rates: 92.2% in U.S./Canada and 89.7% worldwide, pressured by lower renewal rates from online and digital promotion memberships entering calculation.
- Capital expenditure commitment: Company intends to spend approximately $6.5B in fiscal 2026 on warehouse openings, remodels, depots, and digital expansion; 29 additional warehouses planned for remainder of year.
AI-extracted and verified against SEC EDGAR filing text. Not investment advice.
Revenue
Q3 2026
$70.5B
Net Income
Q3 2026
$2.2B
Free Cash Flow
Q3 2026
$2.0B
Operating Margin
Q3 2026
4.0%
D/E Ratio
Q3 2026
0.17
Revenue & Net Income
Earnings Per Share
Key Financials Over Time
Export Financial Table · Pro+Revenue
+8.2% YoYNet Income
+9.9% YoYOperating Income
+11.8% YoYEPS (Diluted)
+10.0% YoYTotal Assets
+10.4% YoYTotal Debt
-1.8% YoYOp. Cash Flow
+17.6% YoY| Metric | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $275.24B +8.2% | $254.45B +5.0% | $242.29B +6.8% | $226.95B +15.8% | $195.93B +28.3% | $152.70B |
| Net Income | $8.10B +9.9% | $7.37B +17.1% | $6.29B +7.7% | $5.84B +16.7% | $5.01B +36.8% | $3.66B |
| Operating Income | $10.38B +11.8% | $9.29B +14.4% | $8.11B +4.1% | $7.79B +16.2% | $6.71B +41.6% | $4.74B |
| EPS (Diluted) | $18.21 +10.0% | $16.56 +16.9% | $14.16 +7.8% | $13.14 +16.6% | $11.27 +36.4% | $8.26 |
| Total Assets | $77.10B +10.4% | $69.83B +1.2% | $68.99B +7.5% | $64.17B +8.3% | $59.27B +30.5% | $45.40B |
| Total Debt | $5.79B -1.8% | $5.90B -8.7% | $6.46B -1.5% | $6.56B -21.3% | $8.33B -2.6% | $8.55B |
| Operating Cash Flow | $13.34B +17.6% | $11.34B +2.4% | $11.07B +49.7% | $7.39B -17.5% | $8.96B +40.9% | $6.36B |
AI Insight: COST Financial Trends
Operating margin expanded to 3.99% in Q2 2026 from 3.84% in Q3 2025, while leverage ratio improved to 16.9% despite equity growth.
• Operating income grew 3.8% YoY from Q2 2025 ($2,530M) to Q2 2026 ($2,815M); operating margin rose 15bp.
• Operating cash flow averaged $3.6B across last four quarters; Q2 2026 delivered $3.4B despite seasonal variability.
• Total debt declined to $5.67B in Q2 2026 from peak of $5.90B in Q2 2025; debt-to-equity improved to 16.9%.
⚠ Revenue growth decelerating: Q2 2026 +11.6% YoY, but underlying momentum weaker ex-seasonal Q3 peaks.
⚠ Equity has risen 40.4% in two years (from $23.6B to $33.5B); monitor if capital deployment efficiency sustains.
AI Insight: COST Ratio Trends
COST stabilized margins and leverage after Q4 2025 trough, but ROIC remains 28–30% range versus prior 38–41%, signaling normalization from peak returns.
• Operating margin recovered to 4.0% in Q2 2026 from 3.7% trough in Q4 2025; net margin steady 2.9–3.1% across recent quarters.
• Debt-to-equity declined steadily from 0.25 in Q3 2024 to 0.17 in Q2 2026, improving financial flexibility.
• ROIC contracted from 41.2% in Q3 2024 to 28.7% in Q2 2026; ROE fell from 39.9% to 26.2% over same span.
⚠ Q1 2026 marked the lowest OpMargin (3.7%) and ROA (9.7%) of the past 6 quarters—potential seasonal pressure or cost headwind.
⚠ TTM ROIC of 28.6% matches Q2 2026 level but trails peak 41.2%, suggesting sustained margin/capital-efficiency normalization.
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Available Research
13F Pro tracks comprehensive data for COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP /NEW including:
Top Institutional Holders of COST
BlackRock, Inc.
$34.8B34,947,040 shVANGUARD CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC
$28.7B28,847,448 shSTATE STREET CORP
$18.1B18,152,232 shVANGUARD PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT LLC
$10.7B10,705,635 shGEODE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC
$10.6B10,659,224 shMORGAN STANLEY
$9.9B9,898,711 shBANK OF AMERICA CORP /DE/
$7.5B7,515,031 shFMR LLC
$6.7B6,718,589 shNORTHERN TRUST CORP
$4.9B4,928,107 shInvesco Ltd.
$4.3B4,313,506 sh
| Fund | Value | Shares |
|---|---|---|
| BlackRock, Inc. | $34.8B | 34,947,040 |
| VANGUARD CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC | $28.7B | 28,847,448 |
| STATE STREET CORP | $18.1B | 18,152,232 |
| VANGUARD PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT LLC | $10.7B | 10,705,635 |
| GEODE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC | $10.6B | 10,659,224 |
| MORGAN STANLEY | $9.9B | 9,898,711 |
| BANK OF AMERICA CORP /DE/ | $7.5B | 7,515,031 |
| FMR LLC | $6.7B | 6,718,589 |
| NORTHERN TRUST CORP | $4.9B | 4,928,107 |
| Invesco Ltd. | $4.3B | 4,313,506 |
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Popular Research
Is COST a good stock to buy?
13F Pro's AI-powered analysis of COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP /NEW (COST) draws on SEC EDGAR-sourced fundamentals, institutional 13F holdings, and insider Form 4 transactions in the Consumer Discretionary sector (listed on Nasdaq). The 32-signal AI Quality Score, current rank, and full bull/bear verdict for COST are available on the COST stock profile dashboard — with the same data, AI insights, ratios, and institutional activity refreshed after every 10-K, 10-Q, 13F, and Form 4 filing.
Which hedge funds own COST?
Institutional investors are required to disclose their holdings quarterly via SEC Form 13F. 13F Pro aggregates these filings to show which hedge funds, mutual funds, and asset managers are buying or selling COST. Combined with insider transaction data from Form 4 filings and AI-powered analysis from 10 specialized research agents, 13F Pro provides a comprehensive view of COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP /NEW's investment landscape.