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 March 2023 (TTM): 35.8
According to Costco's latest financial reports and stock price the company's current price-to-earnings ratio (TTM) is 35.7858. At the end of 2020 the company had a P/E ratio of 38.6.
P/E ratio history for Costco from 2001 to 2022
PE ratio at the end of each year
| Year | P/E ratio | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
 Walmart WMT | 32.7 | -8.60% | 🇺🇸 USA |
 Dollar General DG | 19.6 | -45.23% | 🇺🇸 USA |
 Dollar Tree DLTR | 18.7 | -47.72% | 🇺🇸 USA |
 Target TGT | 25.9 | -27.53% | 🇺🇸 USA |
 PriceSmart
PSMT | 19.8 | -44.61% | 🇺🇸 USA |
 Five Below
FIVE | 48.4 | 35.16% | 🇺🇸 USA |
 Big Lots
BIG | -1.93 | -105.41% | 🇺🇸 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.