Costco Wholesale Corporation is an American wholesale chain with headquarters in Issaquah near Seattle, Washington State.
P/E ratio for Costco (COST)
P/E ratio as of July 2025 (TTM): 56.2
According to Costco's latest financial reports and stock price the company's current price-to-earnings ratio (TTM) is 56.1505. At the end of 2024 the company had a P/E ratio of 53.7.
P/E ratio history for Costco from 2001 to 2025
PE ratio at the end of each year
| Year | P/E ratio | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 53.7 | 6.69% |
| 2023 | 50.3 | |
| 2020 | 38.6 | |
| 2018 | 27.4 | -7.03% |
| 2017 | 29.4 | 1.16% |
| 2016 | 29.1 | -3.02% |
| 2015 | 30.0 | 2.71% |
| 2014 | 29.2 | 15.17% |
| 2013 | 25.4 | |
| 2011 | 24.7 | 5.46% |
| 2010 | 23.4 |
P/E ratio for similar companies or competitors
| Company | P/E ratio | P/E ratio differencediff. | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
 PriceSmart
PSMT | 20.9 | -62.82% | 🇺🇸 USA |
 Walmart WMT | 42.8 | -23.73% | 🇺🇸 USA |
 Target TGT | 11.1 | -80.20% | 🇺🇸 USA |
 Dollar General DG | 22.2 | -60.47% | 🇺🇸 USA |
 Dollar Tree DLTR | -7.52 | -113.39% | 🇺🇸 USA |
 Big Lots
BIG | -0.0312 | -100.06% | 🇺🇸 USA |
 Five Below
FIVE | 27.0 | -51.93% | 🇺🇸 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.