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Costco WholesaleCOST -0.14%95 EV-to-OCF is 27.23 as of Aug. 09, 2026, which is 26% above its 10-year median of 21.61. GuruFocus rates COST with a GF Score™ of 95/100 and a GF Value™ of $1,028.51 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 1 warning sign investors should review. Among 313 Retail - Defensive companies, Costco Wholesale ranks worse than 92.01% on this metric.
EV-to-OCF is calculated as enterprise value divided by its cash flow from operations. As of today, Costco Wholesale's Enterprise Value is $408,478 Mil.
Costco Wholesale's Cash Flow from Operations for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in May. 2026 was $15,000 Mil. Therefore, Costco Wholesale's EV-to-OCF for today is 27.23.
The historical rank and industry rank for Costco Wholesale's EV-to-OCF or its related term are showing as below:
COST'
s EV-to-OCF Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 10.49 Med: 21.61 Max: 47.55
Current: 27.23
During the past 13 years, the highest EV-to-OCF of Costco Wholesale was 47.55. The lowest was 10.49. And the median was 21.61.
COST's EV-to-OCF is ranked worse than 92.01% of 313
companies
in the Retail - Defensive industry
Industry Median: 7.46
vs COST: 27.23
EV-to-OCF is a valuation multiple that allows analysts and investors to compare stocks, preferably in the same sector or industry. 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.
EV-to-OCF is a valuation multiple that allows analysts and investors to compare stocks, preferably in the same sector or industry. 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 $947.82.
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.
Enterprise Value is used because it is a more complete measure in reflecting how much an investor pays when buying a company. Cash Flow from Operations is an important financial metric because it represents the cash generated from operating activities at a company's disposal. Companies with a low EV-to-OCF ratio, combined with a strong balance sheet are generally considered as undervalued.
Costco Wholesale EV-to-OCF Related Terms
Costco Wholesale EV-to-OCF Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Costco Wholesale's EV-to-OCF 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-OCF, along with its competitors' market caps and EV-to-OCF 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-OCF vs Retail - Defensive Industry
For the Retail - Defensive industry and Consumer Defensive sector, Costco Wholesale's EV-to-OCF distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Costco Wholesale's EV-to-OCF falls into.
Costco Wholesale's current Enterprise Value is $408,478 Mil.
Costco Wholesale's Cash Flow from Operations 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 $15,000 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-OCF of 27.23 as of Aug. 09, 2026. This is 26% above median its historical median of 21.61. Over the past decade, Costco Wholesale's EV-to-OCF has ranged from 10.49 to 47.55. According to the industry distribution chart, Costco Wholesale ranks #288 out of 313 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, placing it in the top 92%.
Is Costco Wholesale's EV-to-OCF too high?
Costco Wholesale's current EV-to-OCF of 27.23 is 26% above median its 10-year median of 21.61. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 10.49 to a high of 47.55. The Retail - Defensive industry median EV-to-OCF is 7.46. Costco Wholesale's value of 27.23 is 265% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Costco Wholesale ranks #288 out of 313 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Costco Wholesale has a GF Score™ of 95/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Costco Wholesale's EV-to-OCF compare to TGT and DG?
According to the Retail - Defensive industry distribution chart, Costco Wholesale ranks #288 out of 313 companies for EV-to-OCF. This places Costco Wholesale in the lower half of its industry. The industry median EV-to-OCF is 7.46. Costco Wholesale's value of 27.23 is 265% above this benchmark. Historically, Costco Wholesale's own EV-to-OCF has ranged from 10.49 to 47.55 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 21.61 vs. the industry median of 7.46, 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-OCF for a Retail - Defensive company?
The median EV-to-OCF among Retail - Defensive companies is 7.46, based on 313 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a EV-to-OCF significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, EV-to-OCF should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Costco Wholesale's current EV-to-OCF of 27.23 is 265% 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-OCF mean?
A high EV-to-OCF can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. For the Retail - Defensive industry, the median EV-to-OCF is 7.46 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Costco Wholesale's current EV-to-OCF is 27.23, which is 26% above median its own 10-year median of 21.61. 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 $1,028.51, compared to a current price of $947.82 — trading 7.8% below its estimated fair value. The current EV-to-OCF is 27.23, which is 26% above median its 10-year median of 21.61 and 265% above the Retail - Defensive industry median of 7.46. Costco Wholesale's overall GF Score™ is 95/100 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-OCF calculated?
EV-to-OCF is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Costco Wholesale (COST), the current EV-to-OCF is 27.23 as of Aug. 09, 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 $947.82 is trading 7.8% below its estimated GF Value™ of $1,028.51.
GuruFocus considers Costco Wholesale to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for COST:
EV-to-OCF: 27.23 (26% above median its 10-year median of 21.61)
GF Value™: $1,028.51 vs. price of $947.82 (7.8% below fair value)
Industry Position: 265% above the Retail - Defensive median (#288 of 313)
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.
95GF Score
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