Costco WholesaleCOST +1.09%97 Days Inventory is 28.49 as of May. 2026, which is 4% below its 10-year median of 29.72. GuruFocus rates COST with a GF Score™ of 97/100 and a GF Value™ of $1,015.53 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 1 warning sign investors should review. Among 300 Retail - Defensive companies, Costco Wholesale ranks better than 67.33% on this metric.
The historical rank and industry rank for Costco Wholesale's Days Inventory or its related term are showing as below:
COST'
s Days Inventory Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 27.48 Med: 29.72 Max: 31.71
Current: 27.48
During the past 13 years, Costco Wholesale's highest Days Inventory was 31.71. The lowest was 27.48. And the median was 29.72.
COST's Days Inventory is ranked better than 67.33% of 300
companies
in the Retail - Defensive industry
Industry Median: 40.805
vs COST: 27.48
Costco Wholesale's Days Inventory
declined
from May. 2025 (30.99) to May. 2026 (28.49).
Inventory Turnover measures how fast the company turns over its inventory within a year.
Costco Wholesale's Inventory Turnover for the
three
months ended in May. 2026 was 3.20.
Inventory-to-Revenue determines the ability of a company to manage their inventory levels. It measures the percentage of Inventories the company currently has on hand to support the current amount of Revenue.
Costco Wholesale's Inventory-to-Revenue for the
three
months ended in May. 2026 was 0.27.
Costco Wholesale (NAS:COST) Days Inventory Explanation
Days Inventory indicates the liquidity of the inventory. Generally, a lower Days Inventory is preferred as it indicates a shorter duration to clear off the inventory. An increase of the ratio may indicate the company's sales slowed. Similar ratios related to Days Inventory are:
1. Inventory Turnover measures how fast the company turns over its inventory within a year.
Costco Wholesale's Inventory Turnover for the
three
months ended in May. 2026 is calculated as
2. Inventory-to-Revenue determines the ability of a company to manage their inventory levels. It measures the percentage of Inventories the company currently has on hand to support the current amount of Revenue.
Costco Wholesale's Inventory to Revenue for the
three
months ended in May. 2026 is calculated as
* 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.
Be Aware
A lot of business are seasonable. It makes more sense to compare Days Inventory from the same period in the previous year instead of from the previous quarter.
Costco Wholesale Days Inventory Related Terms
Costco Wholesale Days Inventory Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Costco Wholesale's Days Inventory 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 Days Inventory, along with its competitors' market caps and Days Inventory 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 Days Inventory vs Retail - Defensive Industry
For the Retail - Defensive industry and Consumer Defensive sector, Costco Wholesale's Days Inventory distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Costco Wholesale's Days Inventory 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 Days Inventory of 28.49 as of May. 2026. Days inventory represents the average amount of days a company holds inventory before selling it. View historical data on Costco Wholesale and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 29.72. Over the past decade, Costco Wholesale's Days Inventory has ranged from 27.48 to 31.71. According to the industry distribution chart, Costco Wholesale ranks #98 out of 300 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, placing it in the top 32.7%.
Is Costco Wholesale's Days Inventory too high?
Costco Wholesale's current Days Inventory of 28.49 is near median its 10-year median of 29.72. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 27.48 to a high of 31.71. The Retail - Defensive industry median Days Inventory is 40.81. Costco Wholesale's value of 28.49 is 30.2% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Costco Wholesale ranks #98 out of 300 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, which is above 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 Days Inventory compare to TGT and DG?
According to the Retail - Defensive industry distribution chart, Costco Wholesale ranks #98 out of 300 companies for Days Inventory. This puts Costco Wholesale in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Days Inventory is 40.81. Costco Wholesale's value of 28.49 is 30.2% below this benchmark. Historically, Costco Wholesale's own Days Inventory has ranged from 27.48 to 31.71 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 29.72 vs. the industry median of 40.81, 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 Days Inventory for a Retail - Defensive company?
The median Days Inventory among Retail - Defensive companies is 40.81, based on 300 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Days Inventory significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Days Inventory should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Costco Wholesale's current Days Inventory of 28.49 is 30.2% 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 Days Inventory mean?
A high Days Inventory can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Days inventory represents the average amount of days a company holds inventory before selling it. View historical data on Costco Wholesale and its competitors. For the Retail - Defensive industry, the median Days Inventory is 40.81 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Costco Wholesale's current Days Inventory is 28.49, which is near median its own 10-year median of 29.72. 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 $1,015.53, compared to a current price of $952.54 — trading 6.2% below its estimated fair value. The current Days Inventory is 28.49, which is near median its 10-year median of 29.72 and 30.2% below the Retail - Defensive industry median of 40.81. 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 Days Inventory calculated?
Days Inventory is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Costco Wholesale (COST), the current Days Inventory is 28.49 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 $952.54 is trading 6.2% below its estimated GF Value™ of $1,015.53.
GuruFocus considers Costco Wholesale to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for COST:
Days Inventory: 28.49 (near median its 10-year median of 29.72)
GF Value™: $1,015.53 vs. price of $952.54 (6.2% below fair value)
Industry Position: 30.2% below the Retail - Defensive median (#98 of 300)
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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