FY2026 Earnings Forecast for COST Issued By Erste Group Bank

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) – Equities researchers at Erste Group Bank increased their FY2026 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Costco Wholesale in a report released on Tuesday, March 24th. Erste Group Bank analyst H. Engel now expects that the retailer will post earnings per share of $20.43 for the year, up from their prior forecast of $20.28. The consensus estimate for Costco Wholesale’s current full-year earnings is $18.03 per share. Erste Group Bank also issued estimates for Costco Wholesale’s FY2027 earnings at $22.47 EPS.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The company’s quarterly revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $4.02 EPS.

COST has been the topic of a number of other research reports. Daiwa Securities Group upped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 10th. DA Davidson reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, HSBC cut their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,045.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,039.13.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 0.5%

Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $979.65 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. Costco Wholesale has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,067.08. The stock has a market cap of $434.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 50.94, a PEG ratio of 4.81 and a beta of 1.01. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $986.29 and a 200-day moving average price of $939.17.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Costco Wholesale

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of COST. Lbmc Investment Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 0.5% during the fourth quarter. Lbmc Investment Advisors LLC now owns 2,041 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,760,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. now owns 3,194 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,754,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.4% in the 4th quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC now owns 702 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $605,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 4.4% during the 2nd quarter. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC now owns 262 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $259,000 after buying an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Graney & King LLC lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 6.8% during the 2nd quarter. Graney & King LLC now owns 173 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $171,000 after buying an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $939.00, for a total transaction of $1,408,500.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 44,837 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $42,101,943. This trade represents a 3.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Javier Polit sold 2,049 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $867.21, for a total transaction of $1,776,913.29. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 10,748 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $9,320,773.08. This represents a 16.01% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 7,645 shares of company stock valued at $7,049,302. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 30th were given a dividend of $1.30 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 30th. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is currently 27.04%.

Key Costco Wholesale News

Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Costco is testing standalone gas stations, a move that could deepen its membership moat by turning fuel into a traffic and retention tool, supporting long‑term comps and membership revenue. Costco Is Launching Standalone Gas Stations. Why the Heck Does Wall Street Care?
• Positive Sentiment: Rising gas prices are likely to benefit Costco because its low pump pricing drives membership signups/renewals and consistent store traffic — making fuel a strategic advantage rather than a profit center. Will Rising Gas Prices Send Costco’s Stock Higher?
• Positive Sentiment: Erste Group raised its FY2026 and FY2027 EPS forecasts (FY2026 → $20.43; FY2027 → $22.47), signaling stronger-than-expected profit momentum versus consensus — a direct bullish catalyst for earnings expectations. Erste Group Raises Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: New Kirkland‑branded energy drinks are drawing strong member interest and are pressuring rivals (e.g., Celsius), showing Costco can use private‑label launches to win share and margin—a tailwind for sales and membership value. Why Costco’s cheap new Kirkland energy drink won’t crush Celsius
• Positive Sentiment: Local expansion: Costco secured a Polaris site in Columbus, adding capacity in a growth market and signaling continued store footprint growth that supports membership gains over time. Costco Grabs Polaris Plot For Bigger Columbus Footprint
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts remain broadly bullish with a consensus price target near $1,100, but the coverage notes increasing concerns around membership-growth trends and the stock’s valuation — mixed signals for near‑term momentum. Analysts Bullish on Costco Despite Concerns
• Neutral Sentiment: Product/competition coverage (press and ETFs): commentary about the COSW covered‑call ETF and media pieces on Costco deals/products may influence sentiment but don’t alter fundamentals. COSW Sells Away Costco’s Upside
• Neutral Sentiment: Regulatory/consumer refund watch: FedEx, Costco and UPS are named as targets for consumer tariff refund programs — could produce one‑time benefits but uncertain impact. FedEx, Costco, UPS Are Main Targets for Consumer Tariff Refunds
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation risk: COST trades at a premium multiple (PE ~51, PEG ~4.8) — strong execution is already priced in, so any slowdown in membership growth or comp traffic could pressure the stock despite positive operational news. Analysts Flag Membership & Valuation Risks

About Costco Wholesale

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a global chain of membership-only warehouse clubs that sell a wide array of merchandise in bulk at discounted prices. The company’s product mix includes groceries, fresh and frozen food, household goods, electronics, apparel, and seasonal items, augmented by its prominent private-label brand, Kirkland Signature. Costco’s business model centers on annual membership fees and high-volume, low-margin sales, designed to drive repeat purchasing and strong customer loyalty among both consumers and small-business buyers.

Beyond merchandise, Costco provides a range of ancillary services that complement its warehouses, including gasoline stations, pharmacy and optical services, hearing aid centers, photo services, and travel and insurance products.