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Costco WholesaleCOST -0.50%96 EV-to-EBITDA is 28.03 as of Jul. 18, 2026, which is 30% above its 10-year median of 21.51. GuruFocus rates COST with a GF Score™ of 96/100 and a GF Value™ of $1,023.16 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 1 warning sign investors should review. Among 272 Retail - Defensive companies, Costco Wholesale ranks worse than 88.6% on this metric.
EV-to-EBITDA is calculated as enterprise value divided by its EBITDA. As of today, Costco Wholesale's enterprise value is $405,396 Mil.
Costco Wholesale's EBITDA for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in May. 2026 was $14,463 Mil. Therefore, Costco Wholesale's EV-to-EBITDA for today is 28.03.
The historical rank and industry rank for Costco Wholesale's EV-to-EBITDA or its related term are showing as below:
COST'
s EV-to-EBITDA Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 12.34 Med: 21.51 Max: 38.17
Current: 28.03
During the past 13 years, the highest EV-to-EBITDA of Costco Wholesale was 38.17. The lowest was 12.34. And the median was 21.51.
COST's EV-to-EBITDA is ranked worse than 88.6% of 272
companies
in the Retail - Defensive industry
Industry Median: 8.52
vs COST: 28.03
EV-to-EBITDA is a valuation multiple used in finance and investment to measure the value of a company. This important multiple is often used in conjunction with, or as an alternative to, the PE Ratio to determine the fair market value of a company.
EV-to-EBITDA is a valuation multiple used in finance and investment to measure the value of a company. This important multiple is often used in conjunction with, or as an alternative to, the PE Ratio (TTM) to determine the fair market value of a company.
Costco Wholesale's PE Ratio (TTM) for today is calculated as:
Costco Wholesale's share price for today is $940.87.
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.
* 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.
Study has found that the companies with the lowest EV-to-EBITDA outperforms companies measured as cheap by other ratios such as PE Ratio (TTM).
The historical data trend for Costco Wholesale's EV-to-EBITDA 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 EV-to-EBITDA, along with its competitors' market caps and EV-to-EBITDA 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 EV-to-EBITDA vs Retail - Defensive Industry
For the Retail - Defensive industry and Consumer Defensive sector, Costco Wholesale's EV-to-EBITDA distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Costco Wholesale's EV-to-EBITDA falls into.
Costco Wholesale's current Enterprise Value is $405,396 Mil.
Costco Wholesale's EBITDA 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 $14,463 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.
Costco Wholesale (COST) has a EV-to-EBITDA of 28.03 as of Jul. 18, 2026. EV to EBITDA ratio is the company's enterprise value divided by earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. View historical data on Costco Wholesale. This is 30% above median its historical median of 21.51. Over the past decade, Costco Wholesale's EV-to-EBITDA has ranged from 12.34 to 38.17. According to the industry distribution chart, Costco Wholesale ranks #241 out of 272 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, placing it in the top 88.6%.
Is Costco Wholesale's EV-to-EBITDA too high?
Costco Wholesale's current EV-to-EBITDA of 28.03 is 30% above median its 10-year median of 21.51. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 12.34 to a high of 38.17. The Retail - Defensive industry median EV-to-EBITDA is 8.52. Costco Wholesale's value of 28.03 is 229% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Costco Wholesale ranks #241 out of 272 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. 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 EV-to-EBITDA compare to TGT and DG?
According to the Retail - Defensive industry distribution chart, Costco Wholesale ranks #241 out of 272 companies for EV-to-EBITDA. This places Costco Wholesale in the lower half of its industry. The industry median EV-to-EBITDA is 8.52. Costco Wholesale's value of 28.03 is 229% above this benchmark. Historically, Costco Wholesale's own EV-to-EBITDA has ranged from 12.34 to 38.17 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 21.51 vs. the industry median of 8.52, Costco Wholesale has consistently been above 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 EV-to-EBITDA for a Retail - Defensive company?
The median EV-to-EBITDA among Retail - Defensive companies is 8.52, based on 272 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a EV-to-EBITDA significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, EV-to-EBITDA should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Costco Wholesale's current EV-to-EBITDA of 28.03 is 229% 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 EV-to-EBITDA mean?
A high EV-to-EBITDA can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. EV to EBITDA ratio is the company's enterprise value divided by earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. View historical data on Costco Wholesale. For the Retail - Defensive industry, the median EV-to-EBITDA is 8.52 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Costco Wholesale's current EV-to-EBITDA is 28.03, which is 30% above median its own 10-year median of 21.51. 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 $1,023.16, compared to a current price of $940.87 — trading 8% below its estimated fair value. The current EV-to-EBITDA is 28.03, which is 30% above median its 10-year median of 21.51 and 229% above the Retail - Defensive industry median of 8.52. 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 EV-to-EBITDA calculated?
EV-to-EBITDA is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Costco Wholesale (COST), the current EV-to-EBITDA is 28.03 as of Jul. 18, 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 $940.87 is trading 8% below its estimated GF Value™ of $1,023.16.
GuruFocus considers Costco Wholesale to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for COST:
EV-to-EBITDA: 28.03 (30% above median its 10-year median of 21.51)
GF Value™: $1,023.16 vs. price of $940.87 (8% below fair value)
Industry Position: 229% above the Retail - Defensive median (#241 of 272)
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
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