Yahoo · Sep 15, 2026
Costco raises motor oil prices as supply pressure builds
Higher motor-oil prices and purchase restrictions offer another glimpse at pressure moving through consumer goods.
NASDAQ · COST
Costco Wholesale Corporation
Consumer Defensive · Discount Stores
$901.35
Down-$17.56 (-1.91%)
Updated Sep 16, 2026, 10:37 AM
SID Score
5.7/10
Composite research score
Smart Money
46/100
Neutral
- Market cap
- 391.98B
- P/E ratio
- 47.3
- Dividend yield
- 0.56%
- 52-week range
- $844.06 – $1,096.50
- Volume
- 2.2M
- Avg. volume
- 2.52M
Price performance
COST price history
1M range · 20 trading sessions · Daily adjusted prices
COST closed at $901.35 after 20 trading sessions, down 6.24% for the selected period.
- Last close
- $901.35
- Period change
- -6.24%
- Period low
- $901.35
- Period high
- $971.40
Daily close
View OHLC price history
| Date | Open | High | Low | Close | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 15, 2026 | $916.92 | $916.92 | $900.25 | $901.35 | 2.2M |
| Sep 14, 2026 | $913.645 | $921.99 | $910.79 | $918.91 | 2.01M |
| Sep 11, 2026 | $905.17 | $907.3588 | $900.75 | $904.77 | 1.77M |
| Sep 10, 2026 | $906.62 | $912.10 | $899.00 | $902.38 | 1.93M |
| Sep 9, 2026 | $907.00 | $909.2299 | $898.43 | $902.60 | 2.07M |
| Sep 8, 2026 | $912.40 | $915.13 | $906.10 | $910.18 | 2.24M |
| Sep 4, 2026 | $926.09 | $928.04 | $914.54 | $915.74 | 2.08M |
| Sep 3, 2026 | $927.79 | $930.76 | $915.31 | $925.41 | 2.17M |
| Sep 2, 2026 | $938.49 | $938.88 | $920.3101 | $928.48 | 2.17M |
| Sep 1, 2026 | $947.35 | $952.095 | $935.925 | $939.96 | 1.51M |
| Aug 31, 2026 | $945.19 | $949.30 | $940.71 | $943.89 | 2.39M |
| Aug 28, 2026 | $938.935 | $953.73 | $937.11 | $945.47 | 1.4M |
| Aug 27, 2026 | $948.265 | $948.85 | $933.25 | $934.66 | 2.24M |
| Aug 26, 2026 | $960.58 | $964.45 | $954.5355 | $956.12 | 1.22M |
| Aug 25, 2026 | $965.86 | $969.05 | $959.89 | $960.01 | 1.36M |
| Aug 24, 2026 | $953.01 | $974.4947 | $951.385 | $971.40 | 2.21M |
| Aug 21, 2026 | $939.64 | $949.8999 | $933.82 | $947.74 | 2.37M |
| Aug 20, 2026 | $931.15 | $944.215 | $925.77 | $933.51 | 2.5M |
| Aug 19, 2026 | $960.23 | $978.70 | $956.00 | $956.99 | 1.64M |
| Aug 18, 2026 | $966.11 | $971.9599 | $955.03 | $961.35 | 1.85M |
Latest COST news
The latest Smart Investors Daily articles mentioning COST.
Stock researchCompany · Overview
COST research
Overview
Company profile and research snapshot.
Company profile
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.
Visit company websiteAnalyst outlook
Consensus and target data currently published for this company.
- Consensus
- Buy
- Average target
- $1,037.50
- Implied upside
- —
- Analysts
- 21
| Date | Firm | Rating | Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 8, 2026 | Freedom Broker | Buy | — |
| Sep 3, 2026 | BTIG | Buy | — |
| Sep 3, 2026 | DA Davidson | Neutral | — |
| Jul 9, 2026 | JP Morgan | Overweight | — |
| Jun 18, 2026 | Citigroup | Neutral | — |
News briefing
Generated Sep 15, 2026, 9:07 PM
Why Is COST Down Today? Supply Constraints and Margin Pressures Weigh on Sentiment
Costco shares fell 1.91% today as the market digested concerns about margin pressures from elevated fuel and motor oil costs, despite some offsetting positives from tariff refunds and strong e-commerce growth. The retailer's decision to ration motor oil and raise prices signals inflationary headwinds that are affecting both the company and its price-sensitive customer base.
Bottom line: Costco faces a near-term headwind from commodity inflation—particularly in motor oil—and broader consumer financial stress that's pressuring margins and member experience. However, strong e-commerce growth, tariff refund offsets, and management's operational focus provide some countercyclical support; investors should monitor whether inflation pressures persist and how membership renewal rates respond to product rationing and higher staple prices.
Yahoo · Sep 15, 2026
Fuel Crisis Hits Home — Even Costco Hikes Prices, Limits Purchases on Kirkland Motor Oil
Why a Fed rate hike this week won't help the oil market supply crunch.
Yahoo · Sep 15, 2026
The Oil Crisis Has Reached Costco’s Motor Oil Aisle
A 10-quart case that cost roughly $30 now runs $57.99, with purchases capped at two units per member per week.
Yahoo · Sep 15, 2026
2 Reasons to Watch COST and 1 to Stay Cautious
Over the past six months, Costco’s stock price fell to $917.90. Shareholders have lost 8.4% of their capital, which is disappointing considering the S&P 500 has climbed by 14.2%. This may have investors wondering how to approach the situation.
AI research layers
Interpretive context generated from the platform’s current data sources.
Costco Wholesale Corporation Stock Performance
Costco Wholesale Corporation shares closed at $918.91, reflecting a modest daily gain of 0.12%, per SID market data. Over the trailing one-month period, the stock has declined 4.72%, while the three-month return stands at negative 7.27%, indicating sustained near-term selling pressure. On a twelve-month basis, COST has posted a gain of just 3.47%, significantly underperforming the broader market. The stock currently trades below both its 50-day moving average of $940.78 and its 200-day moving average of $978.36, according to Massive/Polygon technical data, signaling a bearish technical posture. The 14-day relative strength index registers at 31.6, approaching oversold territory below the conventional 30 threshold. Costco's beta of 0.982 indicates near-market-level volatility. Average daily trading volume stands at approximately 2.52 million shares, supporting adequate liquidity for the company's $392 billion market capitalization.
Costco Wholesale Corporation Valuation Analysis
Costco trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.30, a notable premium relative to the Consumer Defensive sector, per SID market data. This elevated multiple reflects the market's historical willingness to pay for Costco's consistent execution and membership-driven revenue model, though it also increases vulnerability during periods of multiple compression. The price-to-book ratio stands at 12.96, according to SEC filings, underscoring the capital-light nature of the warehouse club model and accumulated intangible brand value. The PEG ratio is currently negative at -2.13, which limits its interpretive utility for growth-adjusted valuation analysis. Costco offers a dividend yield of approximately 0.57%, modest by sector standards but consistent with the company's capital allocation strategy that periodically includes special dividends. At its current market capitalization of approximately $392 billion, Costco remains one of the most richly valued names in the consumer staples and defensive retail space.
Smart Money Activity for COST
Costco's composite smart money score registers at 46 out of 100, carrying a neutral signal, per SID market data. The institutional component scores a perfect 25 out of 25, reflecting robust and sustained ownership among large asset managers and pension funds, according to 13F institutional filings. In contrast, the insider activity score sits at 0 out of 25, driven by the absence of insider purchases; SEC Form 4 filings reveal two insider transactions over the past 90 days, both of which were sales with zero buys recorded during the period. This sell-only insider pattern, while common among executives at large-cap companies managing compensation-related equity, provides no affirmative bullish signal from corporate leadership. The dark pool activity score stands at 9.4 out of 25, suggesting moderate but unremarkable off-exchange institutional interest. Congressional trading activity scores 12 out of 25, indicating a middling level of disclosed legislative member transactions involving COST shares during the tracked period.
Costco Wholesale Corporation Earnings Outlook
Costco has demonstrated a consistent pattern of modest earnings beats across recent quarters, according to company earnings reports. In the most recent reported quarter ending December 2025, the company delivered earnings per share of $4.50 against a consensus estimate of $4.36, representing a positive surprise of approximately $0.14 or 3.3%. The March 2026 quarter continued this trend with EPS of $4.58 versus the $4.55 estimate, a $0.03 beat. The May 2026 quarter similarly exceeded expectations with actual EPS of $4.93 compared to the $4.92 consensus, per analyst estimates. Looking ahead, the next earnings report is scheduled for September 24, 2026, with the current consensus estimate set at $6.53 per share. This anticipated sequential acceleration in earnings would represent a substantial step-up from recent quarters, reflecting Costco's typically strong fiscal fourth-quarter seasonality driven by back-to-school and early holiday membership renewals.
Wall Street Analyst Ratings for COST
Recent Wall Street analyst activity on Costco reflects a moderately constructive but mixed consensus, per SID consensus data. On September 8, 2026, Freedom Broker upgraded COST to Buy from Hold, marking the most recent positive rating change. BTIG reiterated its Buy rating on September 3, 2026, maintaining a bullish stance on the warehouse retailer, according to Wall Street analyst reports. On the same date, DA Davidson maintained a Neutral rating, reflecting a more cautious view at current valuation levels. JP Morgan reiterated its Overweight rating on July 9, 2026, signaling continued confidence in Costco's competitive positioning. Citigroup initiated or reiterated coverage with a Neutral rating on June 18, 2026. The distribution of recent ratings shows two firms at Buy or equivalent, two at Neutral, and one at Overweight, suggesting analysts broadly acknowledge Costco's operational strength but remain divided on whether the stock's premium valuation offers sufficient upside from current price levels.
