P/E ratio for Costco (COST)

P/E ratio history for Costco from 2001 to 2025

PE ratio at the end of each year

P/E ratio for similar companies or competitors

Company	P/E ratio	P/E ratio differencediff.	Country
Walmart WMT	42.9	-18.61%	🇺🇸 USA
Dollar General DG	21.8	-58.58%	🇺🇸 USA
Dollar Tree DLTR	-7.99	-115.16%	🇺🇸 USA
Target TGT	13.9	-73.57%	🇺🇸 USA
PriceSmart PSMT	29.2	-44.56%	🇺🇸 USA
Five Below FIVE	38.0	-27.83%	🇺🇸 USA
Big Lots BIG	-0.0312	-100.06%	🇺🇸 USA

How to read a P/E ratio?

The Price/Earnings ratio measures the relationship between a company's stock price and its earnings per share. A low but positive P/E ratio stands for a company that is generating high earnings compared to its current valuation and might be undervalued. A company with a high negative (near 0) P/E ratio stands for a company that is generating heavy losses compared to its current valuation.

Companies with a P/E ratio over 30 or a negative one are generaly seen as "growth stocks" meaning that investors typically expect the company to grow or to become profitable in the future.
Companies with a positive P/E ratio bellow 10 are generally seen as "value stocks" meaning that the company is already very profitable and unlikely to strong growth in the future.