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 December 2023 (TTM): 48.2
According to Costco's latest financial reports and stock price the company's current price-to-earnings ratio (TTM) is 48.1705. At the end of 2020 the company had a P/E ratio of 38.6.
P/E ratio history for Costco from 2001 to 2023
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 | 7.18% |
| 2012 | 23.7 | -4.24% |
| 2011 | 24.7 | 5.46% |
| 2010 | 23.4 | -0.94% |
| 2009 | 23.7 | 32.99% |
| 2008 | 17.8 | -36.22% |
| 2007 | 27.9 | 27.72% |
| 2006 | 21.8 | 0.69% |
| 2005 | 21.7 | -11.7% |
| 2004 | 24.6 | 6.24% |
| 2003 | 23.1 | 30.25% |
| 2002 | 17.8 | -46.78% |
| 2001 | 33.4 |
P/E ratio for similar companies or competitors
| Company | P/E ratio | P/E ratio differencediff. | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
 Walmart WMT | 29.5 | -38.74% | 🇺🇸 USA |
 Dollar General DG | 13.7 | -71.63% | 🇺🇸 USA |
 Dollar Tree DLTR | 22.9 | -52.52% | 🇺🇸 USA |
 Target TGT | 18.2 | -62.17% | 🇺🇸 USA |
 PriceSmart
PSMT | 18.3 | -61.97% | 🇺🇸 USA |
 Five Below
FIVE | 41.2 | -14.44% | 🇺🇸 USA |
 Big Lots
BIG | -0.2982 | -100.62% | 🇺🇸 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.