Costco Wholesale Corporation

COST · NASDAQ

Market closed$940.87$-4.70 (-0.50%)After hours $940.23 · -0.07%

Key statistics

Previous close$945.57
Open$954.46
Day high$964.33
Day low$933.76
52-week high$1,096.50
52-week low$844.06
Market cap417.26B
Volume2.32M
Average volume2.35M
P/E ratio47.71
Forward P/E27.49
EPS19.72
Dividend yield+0.57%

Market context

Why it moved

Costco shares edged lower as the company's latest quarterly earnings came in slightly below estimates, compounded by cooling comparable sales and concerns over its premium valuation amid a broader market pullback driven by geopolitical tensions with Iran and weakness in technology stocks.

What is happening

Recent company-specific developments and publisher coverage.

July 18, 2026Costco Wholesale shares edged lower, outperforming a broadly weaker market as a defensive rotation into consumer staples provided partial support. With semiconductor and tech stocks dragging the S&P 500 lower amid escalating U.S.-Iran tensions and AI spending concerns, Costco's membership-driven model attracted relative interest — the XLP consumer staples ETF advanced on the day. Investor focus remains on Costco's June sales update showing 8.8% comparable sales growth (a moderation from May's 12.5%), its premium forward P/E of ~41x, and ongoing debate about whether the recent pullback from its $1,000+ highs offers a more compelling entry point.

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July 17, 2026Costco Wholesale shares rallied sharply, outperforming both the broader market and the consumer staples sector (XLP +2.6%), as investors rotated into defensive retail names amid a tech-driven selloff. Analysts are weighing whether the stock remains a buy following its June sales update showing 8.8% comparable sales growth — solid but decelerating from May's 12.5% — while RBC Capital recently initiated coverage with a Sector Perform rating and a $1,000 price target. Investor attention is also on Costco's standalone gas station expansion strategy and long-term growth prospects, with multiple bullish pieces highlighting the company's membership model resilience and potential path to $2,000 by 2030.

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July 16, 2026Costco edged lower, giving back modest ground as investors continued to digest the company's June sales report showing comparable sales growth decelerating to 8.8% for the five weeks ended July 5 — down from a robust 12.5% in May — even as total net sales rose 10.6% year-over-year to $29.24 billion. Adding to the mixed backdrop, RBC Capital initiated coverage with a Sector Perform rating and $1,000 price target on July 13, reflecting a broadly constructive but valuation-cautious view, while the consumer defensive sector (XLP) also softened amid broader market crosscurrents including rising oil prices and ongoing U.S.-Iran tensions. Bulls point to long-term structural strength — a membership renewal rate above 90%, resilient warehouse traffic, and a bullish outlook piece highlighting potential for major gains before 2030 — but the premium valuation near 48x forward earnings continues to temper near-term upside conviction.

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July 15, 2026Costco Wholesale closed modestly lower as investors weighed a confluence of mixed signals: a slowing comparable sales print for June (8.8% vs. May's 12.5%), a new RBC Capital Markets initiation at Sector Perform with a $1,000 price target citing rich valuation at ~37x fiscal 2028 EPS, and a fresh Add initiation from Citic Securities with a $1,041 target. The softer comp-sales deceleration, first reported July 8, tempered near-term sentiment even as the broader narrative around Costco's resilient membership model and defensive retail positioning drew attention amid rising oil prices and Iran-related geopolitical tensions rattling markets.

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July 14, 2026Costco Wholesale closed modestly higher, recovering from Friday's sharp 4.2% selloff that pushed shares to a six-month low after June comparable sales decelerated to 8.8% from May's 12.5% pace. The Monday rebound came alongside RBC Capital Markets' initiation of coverage with a Sector Perform rating and $1,000 price target, praising Costco's 'unique' membership-driven model, high-income customer base, and potential for a special dividend, while flagging that the stock trades at roughly 37x fiscal 2028 EPS — about 1.9x the S&P 500 multiple — leaving limited room for significant upside. Broader market headwinds from renewed U.S.-Iran tensions and surging oil prices weighed on equities, but Costco's defensive profile helped it outperform the broader tape.

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July 11, 2026Costco edged up modestly on Friday, partially recovering from a steep selloff the prior session after the company's June sales report triggered a 'sell-the-news' reaction. While June net sales of $29.24 billion rose 10.6% year-over-year, comparable sales growth decelerated to 8.8% from May's 12.5% pace, and ex-fuel/FX comps came in at just 7.0%, disappointing investors. JPMorgan trimmed its price target slightly to $1,100 (from $1,110) while maintaining Overweight, and Morningstar flagged the stock as overvalued within the consumer defensive sector. Free cash flow headwinds—with Q4 FCF consensus modeling a 71% year-over-year drop due to elevated CapEx—are adding further pressure on near-term sentiment despite the long-term membership model remaining intact.

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July 10, 2026Costco Wholesale shares tumbled sharply, pressured by a classic 'sell-the-news' reaction to its June sales update, which showed comparable sales decelerating to 8.8% from May's stronger 12.5% pace — and slowing to just 7.0% when stripping out gasoline price tailwinds and foreign exchange effects. The selloff was amplified by a JPMorgan price target trim (to $1,100 from $1,110) and a broader risk-off session driven by renewed U.S.-Iran hostilities and rising oil prices reigniting inflation fears, with the consumer defensive sector (XLP) also closing lower on the day.

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July 9, 2026Costco Wholesale edged higher on Tuesday, benefiting from a defensive rotation as geopolitical tensions—triggered by tanker attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and the collapse of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire framework—drove investors into consumer staples while pummeling chip stocks and tech. After the close, Costco reported June net sales of $29.24 billion, up 10.6% year-over-year, with U.S. comparable sales matching that growth rate; however, the results showed some deceleration from May's stronger performance, and the company maintained its quarterly dividend at $1.47 per share. Shares slipped roughly 1.2% in after-hours trading, with investors weighing solid top-line growth against the modestly cooler comparable sales trajectory and a macro backdrop of rising oil prices, elevated Treasury yields, and renewed inflation concerns.

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Yahoo! Finance Canada · July 18, 2026How Investors May Respond To Costco Wholesale (COST) Double-Digit June Sales Growth And New Dividend DeclarationSeeking Alpha · July 18, 2026Big box breakout: Costco debuts gas pumps as a standalone concept (COST:NASDAQ)USA Today · July 17, 2026Costco's new food court meal draws Chick-fil-A comparisons onlineTheStreet · July 16, 2026Recalled Costco product poses big threatSFGATE · July 15, 2026California Costcos roll out first new food court item in yearsNew York Post · July 15, 2026Costco’s hotly anticipated new food court offering has arrived nationwide — including a fast-food dupe diners loveKIRO 7 News Seattle · July 15, 2026Costco announces 7 new warehouse locations to open in August
Benzinga · July 17, 2026Here's How Much $1000 Invested In Costco Wholesale 20 Years Ago Would Be Worth Today
Benzinga · July 17, 2026This Cashier Shows That Some Companies Still Reward Dedication. He Earns $33 an Hour and Is Now a Millionaire
Mt Newswire · July 14, 2026Citic Securities Initiates Costco Wholesale at Add With $1,041 Price Target
Mt Newswire · July 13, 2026Costco Wholesale to Sustain Market Share Gains on 'Unique' Model, RBC Capital Markets Says
Benzinga · July 10, 2026What's Going on With Costco Stock Friday?
Benzinga · July 9, 2026Costco Shares Slip as JPMorgan Cuts Price Target to $1,100
Mt Newswire · July 9, 2026JPMorgan Adjusts Costco Wholesale Price Target to $1,100 From $1,110
Benzinga · July 9, 2026JP Morgan Maintains Overweight on Costco Wholesale, Lowers Price Target to $1100

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