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Costco Wholesale's EPS (Basic) for the
three
months ended in May. 2026 was $4.94.
Its EPS (Basic) for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in May. 2026 was $19.91.
During the past 12 months, Costco Wholesale's average EPS without NRIGrowth Rate was 12.30% per year.
During the past 3 years, the average EPS without NRIGrowth Rate was 11.70% per year.
During the past 5 years, the average EPS without NRIGrowth Rate was 14.50% per year.
During the past 10 years, the average EPS without NRIGrowth Rate was 14.30% per year.
During the past 13 years, Costco Wholesale's highest 3-Year average EPS without NRI Growth Rate was 161.60% per year. The lowest was -85.10% per year. And the median was 12.00% per year.
Costco Wholesale (NAS:COST) Earnings per Share (Diluted) Explanation
Earnings Per Share (EPS) is the single most important variable used by Wall Street in determining the earnings power of a company. But investors need to be aware that Earnings per Share can be easily manipulated by adjusting depreciation and amortization rate or non-recurring items. That's why GuruFocus lists EPS without NRI, which better reflects the company's underlying performance.
Be Aware
Compared with Earnings per share, a company's cash flow is better indicator of the company's earnings power.
If a company's earnings per share is less than cash flow per share over long term, investors need to be cautious and find out why.
Costco Wholesale Earnings per Share (Diluted) Related Terms
Costco Wholesale Earnings per Share (Diluted) Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Costco Wholesale's Earnings per Share (Diluted) 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.
Costco Wholesale Earnings per Share (Diluted) Chart
COST vs TGT, DG, DLTR: Earnings per Share (Diluted) Comparison
For the Discount Stores subindustry, Costco Wholesale's PE Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and PE 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 PE Ratio vs Retail - Defensive Industry
For the Retail - Defensive industry and Consumer Defensive sector, Costco Wholesale's PE Ratio distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Costco Wholesale's PE Ratio falls into.
Costco Wholesale Earnings per Share (Diluted) Calculation
Earnings Per Share (EPS) is the amount of earnings per outstanding share of the company's stock. In calculating earnings per share, the dividends of preferred stocks need to subtracted from the total net income first.
Costco Wholesale's Earnings Per Share (Diluted) for the fiscal year that ended in Aug. 2025 is calculated as
Earnings per Share (Diluted) for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in May. 2026 adds up the quarterly data reported by the company within the most recent 12 months, which was $19.88
* 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.
Companies also reported diluted shares in their financial reports. Diluted shares include the shares of convertibles or warrants outstanding.
What does a Earnings per Share (Diluted) of $19.88 mean?
Costco Wholesale (COST) has a Earnings per Share (Diluted) of $19.88 as of May. 2026. Diluted EPS equals net earnings divided by average shares outstanding, including dilutive securities. View historical data on Costco Wholesale and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Costco Wholesale ranks #114 out of 263 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, placing it in the top 43.3%.
Is Costco Wholesale's Earnings per Share (Diluted) too high?
Costco Wholesale's current Earnings per Share (Diluted) is $19.88. The Retail - Defensive industry median Earnings per Share (Diluted) is 8.00. Costco Wholesale's value of $19.88 is 148.5% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Costco Wholesale ranks #114 out of 263 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Costco Wholesale has a GF Score™ of 96/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Costco Wholesale's Earnings per Share (Diluted) compare to TGT and DG?
According to the Retail - Defensive industry distribution chart, Costco Wholesale ranks #114 out of 263 companies for Earnings per Share (Diluted). This puts Costco Wholesale in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Earnings per Share (Diluted) is 8.00. Costco Wholesale's value of $19.88 is 148.5% above this benchmark. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Earnings per Share (Diluted) for a Retail - Defensive company?
The median Earnings per Share (Diluted) among Retail - Defensive companies is 8.00, based on 263 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Earnings per Share (Diluted) significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Earnings per Share (Diluted) should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Costco Wholesale's current Earnings per Share (Diluted) of $19.88 is 148.5% above 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 Earnings per Share (Diluted) mean?
A high Earnings per Share (Diluted) can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Diluted EPS equals net earnings divided by average shares outstanding, including dilutive securities. View historical data on Costco Wholesale and its competitors. For the Retail - Defensive industry, the median Earnings per Share (Diluted) is 8.00 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Costco Wholesale's current Earnings per Share (Diluted) is $19.88. 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 $1,027.43, compared to a current price of $951.89 — trading 7.4% below its estimated fair value. The current Earnings per Share (Diluted) is $19.88 and 148.5% above the Retail - Defensive industry median of 8.00. Costco Wholesale's overall GF Score™ is 96/100 with 1 warning sign to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Earnings per Share (Diluted) calculated?
Earnings per Share (Diluted) is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Costco Wholesale (COST), the current Earnings per Share (Diluted) is $19.88 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 $951.89 is trading 7.4% below its estimated GF Value™ of $1,027.43.
GuruFocus considers Costco Wholesale to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for COST:
Earnings per Share (Diluted): $19.88
GF Value™: $1,027.43 vs. price of $951.89 (7.4% below fair value)
Industry Position: 148.5% above the Retail - Defensive median (#114 of 263)
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.
96GF Score
Get the complete analysis for COST
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