The earnings yield is an indication of how much return shareholders' investment in the company earned over the past 12 months. The higher the earnings yield is, the better.
As of today (2026-06-24), the stock price of Costco Wholesale is $960.97.
Costco Wholesale's Earnings per Share (Diluted) for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in May. 2026 was $19.88. Therefore, Costco Wholesale's earnings yield of today is 2.07%.
The earnings yield does not consider the growth of the business. A better indicator of the attractiveness of an investment which takes growth into account is the Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %. Costco Wholesale's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % for the quarter that ended in May. 2026 was 12.97%. The Forward Rate of Return uses the normalized Free Cash Flow of the past five years, and considers growth. The forward rate of return can be thought of as the return that investors buying the stock today can expect from it in the future.
If the P/E ratio is an indication of how many years it takes for the company to earn back the stock price shareholders pay to buy the shares, the earnings yield is an indication of how much return shareholders' investment in the company earned over the past 12 months. The higher the earnings yield is, the better.
If a company loses money, the earnings yield is negative. This gives a more straightforward indication that the company is losing money. This is an advantage of using earnings yield instead of the P/E ratio in valuation. For valuation purposes, the P/B Ratio and the P/S Ratio should be used for companies that are losing money.
Like the P/E ratio, the earnings yield can be used to compare investments in different industries. It can even be used to compare the attractiveness of different asset classes such as bonds and cash. Of course, the earnings yield should not be the only factor in deciding which asset classes to invest.
Also similar to the P/E ratio, the earnings yield does not consider the growth of the business. A growing company with the same earnings yield should be more attractive than a company that has the same earnings yield but does not grow.
Just like the P/E Ratio, non-recurring items such as selling part of the business, selling a previous investment, etc., can affect earnings yield dramatically. The earning yield is also a poor indication for cyclical companies. When a cyclical stock has a high earnings yield it is usually at the peak of its cycle.
Costco Wholesale's 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 $19.880 Mil.
* 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.
It can also be calculated from the numbers for the whole company:
Costco Wholesale (COST) has a Earnings Yield % of 2.07% as of Jun. 24, 2026. Earnings Yield equals per-share earnings divided by share price. It is the inverse of the price-earnings ratio. View historical data on Costco Wholesale and its competitors.
Is Costco Wholesale's Earnings Yield % too high?
Costco Wholesale's current Earnings Yield % is 2.07%. 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 Earnings Yield % compare to TGT and DG?
Costco Wholesale's Earnings Yield % of 2.07% can be compared against companies in the Retail - Defensive industry. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Earnings Yield % for a Retail - Defensive company?
A good Earnings Yield % depends on the Retail - Defensive industry context. However, Earnings Yield % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Earnings Yield % mean?
A high Earnings Yield % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Earnings Yield equals per-share earnings divided by share price. It is the inverse of the price-earnings ratio. View historical data on Costco Wholesale and its competitors. Costco Wholesale's current Earnings Yield % is 2.07%. 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 Earnings Yield % is 2.07%. 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 Earnings Yield % calculated?
Earnings Yield % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Costco Wholesale (COST), the current Earnings Yield % is 2.07% as of Jun. 24, 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:
Earnings Yield %: 2.07%
GF Value™: $1,014.93 vs. price of $960.97 (5.3% below fair value)
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
Get the complete analysis for COST
Earnings Yield % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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