Costco WholesaleCOST +0.34%97 Current Ratio is 1.07 as of May. 2026, which is 6% above its 10-year median of 1.01. GuruFocus rates COST with a GF Score™ of 97/100 and a GF Value™ of $1,014.93 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 1 warning sign investors should review. Among 312 Retail - Defensive companies, Costco Wholesale ranks worse than 66.35% on this metric.
The current ratio is a liquidity ratio that measures a company's ability to pay short-term obligations. It is calculated as a company's Total Current Assets divides by its Total Current Liabilities. Costco Wholesale's current ratio for the quarter that ended in May. 2026 was 1.07.
Costco Wholesale has a current ratio of 1.07. It generally indicates good short-term financial strength.
The historical rank and industry rank for Costco Wholesale's Current Ratio or its related term are showing as below:
COST'
s Current Ratio Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0.81 Med: 1.01 Max: 1.13
Current: 1.07
During the past 13 years, Costco Wholesale's highest Current Ratio was 1.13. The lowest was 0.81. And the median was 1.01.
COST's Current Ratio is ranked worse than 66.35% of 312
companies
in the Retail - Defensive industry
Industry Median: 1.31
vs COST: 1.07
Costco Wholesale (NAS:COST) Current Ratio Explanation
The current ratio can give a sense of the efficiency of a company's operating cycle or its ability to turn its product into cash. Companies that have trouble getting paid on their receivables or have long inventory turnover can run into liquidity problems because they are unable to alleviate their obligations. Because business operations differ in each industry, it is always more useful to compare companies within the same industry.
Acceptable current ratios vary from industry to industry and are generally between 1 and 3 for healthy businesses.
The higher the current ratio, the more capable the company is of paying its obligations. A ratio under 1 suggests that the company would be unable to pay off its obligations if they came due at that point. While this shows the company is not in good financial health, it does not necessarily mean that it will go bankrupt - as there are many ways to access financing - but it is definitely not a good sign.
If all other things were equal, a creditor, who is expecting to be paid in the next 12 months, would consider a high current ratio to be better than a low current ratio, because a high current ratio means that the company is more likely to meet its liabilities which fall due in the next 12 months.
Costco Wholesale Current Ratio Related Terms
Costco Wholesale Current Ratio Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Costco Wholesale's Current Ratio can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
For the Discount Stores subindustry, Costco Wholesale's Current Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and Current Ratio data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Costco Wholesale Current Ratio vs Retail - Defensive Industry
For the Retail - Defensive industry and Consumer Defensive sector, Costco Wholesale's Current Ratio distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Costco Wholesale's Current Ratio falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Costco Wholesale (COST) has a Current Ratio of 1.07 as of May. 2026. This is near median its historical median of 1.01. Over the past decade, Costco Wholesale's Current Ratio has ranged from 0.81 to 1.13. According to the industry distribution chart, Costco Wholesale ranks #207 out of 312 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, placing it in the top 66.3%.
Is Costco Wholesale's Current Ratio too high?
Costco Wholesale's current Current Ratio of 1.07 is near median its 10-year median of 1.01. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.81 to a high of 1.13. The Retail - Defensive industry median Current Ratio is 1.31. Costco Wholesale's value of 1.07 is 18.3% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Costco Wholesale ranks #207 out of 312 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Costco Wholesale has a GF Score™ of 97/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Costco Wholesale's Current Ratio compare to TGT and DG?
According to the Retail - Defensive industry distribution chart, Costco Wholesale ranks #207 out of 312 companies for Current Ratio. This places Costco Wholesale in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Current Ratio is 1.31. Costco Wholesale's value of 1.07 is 18.3% below this benchmark. Historically, Costco Wholesale's own Current Ratio has ranged from 0.81 to 1.13 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 1.01 vs. the industry median of 1.31, Costco Wholesale has consistently been below the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Current Ratio for a Retail - Defensive company?
The median Current Ratio among Retail - Defensive companies is 1.31, based on 312 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Current Ratio significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Current Ratio should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Costco Wholesale's current Current Ratio of 1.07 is 18.3% below the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Current Ratio mean?
A high Current Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. For the Retail - Defensive industry, the median Current Ratio is 1.31 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Costco Wholesale's current Current Ratio is 1.07, which is near median its own 10-year median of 1.01. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Costco Wholesale stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Costco Wholesale (COST) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $1,014.93, compared to a current price of $960.97 — trading 5.3% below its estimated fair value. The current Current Ratio is 1.07, which is near median its 10-year median of 1.01 and 18.3% below the Retail - Defensive industry median of 1.31. Costco Wholesale's overall GF Score™ is 97/100 with 1 warning sign to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Current Ratio calculated?
Current Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Costco Wholesale (COST), the current Current Ratio is 1.07 as of May. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Costco Wholesale (COST) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Costco Wholesale stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $960.97 is trading 5.3% below its estimated GF Value™ of $1,014.93.
GuruFocus considers Costco Wholesale to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for COST:
Current Ratio: 1.07 (near median its 10-year median of 1.01)
GF Value™: $1,014.93 vs. price of $960.97 (5.3% below fair value)
Industry Position: 18.3% below the Retail - Defensive median (#207 of 312)
No single metric tells the full story. See the COST stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Founded in 1983, Costco Wholesale now operates a global chain of membership-based warehouse clubs, delivering high-quality goods and services at consistently low prices. As of its most recent fiscal year, Costco operated approximately 910 warehouses, serving more than 80 million members across its three geographic segments: Costco US (approximately 73% of total revenue), Costco Canada (13%), and Costco International (14%).Costco's core value proposition—quality products at unbeatable prices—has yielded consistently strong member renewal rates (93% in the US and Canada and nearly 90% internationally). About 55% of Costco's fiscal 2025 revenue came from its grocery offerings, and another 25% from general merchandise.
97GF Score
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