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Shares Outstanding (EOP) are shares that have been authorized, issued, and purchased by investors and are held by them.
3-Year Share Buyback Ratio measures the average annual proportion of a company's outstanding shares repurchased over the past three years. It is calculated as the annualized percentage change in shares outstanding from three years ago to the current year. A positive ratio may indicate share buybacks over the period, while a zero or negative ratio may reflect no repurchases or potential share issuance. Costco Wholesale's current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio was 0.00%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Costco Wholesale's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio or its related term are showing as below:
During the past 13 years, Costco Wholesale's highest 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio was 3.30%. The lowest was -28.00%. And the median was -0.20%.
COST's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is not ranked *
in the Retail - Defensive industry.
Industry Median: -0.1 * Ranked among companies with meaningful 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio only.
Costco Wholesale (NAS:COST) 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio Explanation
A negative number means the company might be issuing new shares. A positive number indicates that the company is buying back shares.
Be Aware
Investors usually like share buybacks. But as pointed by Warren Buffett, only if a company buys back shares at the prices below the stock's intrinsic value, it rewards remaining shareholders. If a company buys its overvalued stocks back, it destroys shareholder value.
Costco Wholesale 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio Related Terms
COST vs TGT, DG, DLTR: 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio Comparison
For the Discount Stores subindustry, Costco Wholesale's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and 3-Year Share Buyback 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 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio vs Retail - Defensive Industry
For the Retail - Defensive industry and Consumer Defensive sector, Costco Wholesale's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Costco Wholesale's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio falls into.
Costco Wholesale 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio Calculation
This is the annualized percentage change in shares outstanding from three years ago to the current year. The annualized percentage change is calculated with expontential compound based on the latest four years of annual data on Shares Outstanding (EOP).
Please click Growth Rate Calculation Example (GuruFocus) to see how GuruFocus calculates Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT)'s revenue growth rate. You can apply the same method to get the average dividends per share growth rate.
What does a 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio of 0.00 mean?
Costco Wholesale (COST) has a 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio of 0.00 as of May. 2026. The 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio measures the average annual proportion of a company's outstanding shares repurchased over the past three years. It is calculated as the annualized percentage change in shares outstanding from three years ago to the current year. View historical data for Costco Wholesale and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Costco Wholesale ranks #999999 out of 193 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry.
Is Costco Wholesale's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio too high?
Costco Wholesale's current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is 0.00. Based on the distribution chart, Costco Wholesale ranks #999999 out of 193 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 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio compare to TGT and DG?
According to the Retail - Defensive industry distribution chart, Costco Wholesale ranks #999999 out of 193 companies for 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio. This places Costco Wholesale in the lower half of its industry. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio for a Retail - Defensive company?
A good 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio depends on the Retail - Defensive industry context. However, 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio 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 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio mean?
A high 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. The 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio measures the average annual proportion of a company's outstanding shares repurchased over the past three years. It is calculated as the annualized percentage change in shares outstanding from three years ago to the current year. View historical data for Costco Wholesale and its competitors. Costco Wholesale's current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is 0.00. 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 $1,028.04, compared to a current price of $951.89 — trading 7.4% below its estimated fair value. The current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is 0.00. 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 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio calculated?
3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Costco Wholesale (COST), the current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is 0.00 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 $1,028.04.
GuruFocus considers Costco Wholesale to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for COST:
3-Year Share Buyback Ratio: 0.00
GF Value™: $1,028.04 vs. price of $951.89 (7.4% 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.
96GF Score
Get the complete analysis for COST
3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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