LightView AI Stock Analysis Summary
Nov 11, Issued 2026 (Wed) · As of Nov 10, 2026 close · 1/2Costco Costco Wholesale Corporation · COST · NASDAQ
A $30 special dividend and four price target raises lifted shareholder-return hopes, but a 45.8x forward P/E leaves little room if growth slows
Overall VerdictHOLDBull 3 · Bear 3 · Deferred 1
Price at Issue
$1,066.14
Nov 10, 2026 close · 0.0%
External Average Target Price
$1,073.35
+0.7% · 37 analysts
52-Week Low · High
$844.06 ~ $1,096.50
vs. high −2.8%
Next Earnings
Dec 10
Q4 2026
014 Key Data Points
$30 per-share special dividend ($13.30B in total)Announced Nov 10 · record date Nov 24 · payable Dec 4 · 2.8% of market cap · $4B buyback reauthorized
Four target raises vs one cutJPMorgan $1,150 (Nov 5) · Tigress $1,250 (Oct 15) · Bernstein $1,155 and Mizuho $1,100 (Nov 11 reports)
Q3 2026 revenue of $95.72B (+11.1%)Fiscal Q4 (16 weeks) · operating income $3.80B (+13.8%) · diluted EPS $6.75 (+15.0%)
Forward PER 45.8x, PEG 3.8Peer median 16.6x · Walmart forward P/E 39.9x
02Research Team Debate — 6 Issues
| $30 special dividend×2 | Bull | With operating cash flow at 1.2 times the payout, the damage to finances is limited and the return really did get bigger, so the verdict goes to Bull. Bear is right, though, that the ex-dividend adjustment creates no value. |
| Valuation | Bear | A high multiple is fine when growth backs it up, but EPS growth is slowing to about 10% and a PEG of 3.8 is above Walmart's 2.9 and BJ's 2.6, so the verdict goes to Bear. |
| Dec 10 fiscal Q1 results | 보류 | This event has not happened yet, so the verdict is on hold. The Dec 10 report will show whether revenue of $74.38B and EPS of $4.92 are met, and the verdict on this issue reopens with that result. |
| Price target raises | Bull | Target issues are judged by the direction of recent changes, and four raises to one cut favors Bull. The average sitting near the close does limit further upside. |
| Rates | Bear | Financial risk is small, but an earnings yield under half the Treasury yield leaves the multiple poorly defended, so the verdict goes to Bear. |
| Price action | Bear | The trend is up, but the widening gap to the 20- and 60-day averages and lower volume make the short-term strain heavier, so the verdict goes to Bear. |
The overall verdict is HOLD. The special dividend and target raises lifted shareholder returns and expectations, but a 45.8x forward P/E, a 2.2% earnings yield and short-term strain weigh equally against them. The verdict reopens if Dec 10 fiscal Q1 results confirm revenue of $74.38B and EPS of $4.92 or better.
03Conditions That Change the Verdict
▲ Upgrade Conditions
- Dec 10 fiscal Q1 resultsRevenue at or above the $74.38B consensus and EPS of $4.92 or more, with EPS growth above +9.3%
- Holding after the dividendThe close stays above the 20-day average of $1,015.26 after the Nov 24 record date
- 52-week high breakoutThe close rises above $1,096.50, the May 19 high
▼ Downgrade Conditions
- Dec 10 fiscal Q1 resultsRevenue below $74.38B or EPS growth below +9.3%
- Support breakThe close falls below Supertrend at $1,006.95
- Targets turn lowerThe average target drops below $1,050 or Sell ratings increase
LightView AI Stock Analysis Summary
Nov 11, Issued 2026 (Wed) · As of Nov 10, 2026 close · 2/204Quarterly Results Unit: $B
| Q3 2025 | Q4 | Q1 2026 | Q2 | Q3 |
|---|
| Revenue | 86.2 | 67.3 | 69.6 | 70.5 | 95.7 |
| Operating Income | 3.3 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 3.8 |
| Net Income | 2.6 | 2 | 2 | 2.2 | 3 |
| Operating Margin | 3.9% | 3.7% | 3.7% | 4.0% | 4.0% |
Operating margin4.0%Year ago 3.9%
Net margin3.1%Year ago 3.0%
Operating cash flow margin4.9%Year ago 4.5%
Free cash flow margin2.6%Year ago 2.2%
06Street Opinions
Buy 25Hold 14Sell 2Avg $1,073.35 · High $1,315.00 · Low $770.00
JPMorgan1,150Target raised
CICC1,050Initiation
Tigress Financial1,250Target raised
RBC Capital1,000Maintained
07Financial Strength
Cash and short-term investments (8/31)$21.30B$15.28B → +39.4%
Total debt (8/31)$8.58B$8.25B → +4.0%
Equity (8/31)$35.80B$29.16B → +22.8%
Shares outstanding (8/31)443M443M → 0.0%
08Recent News
- 11/11 $30 special dividend and $4B buyback reauthorization announcedCompany press release and 8-K (Item 8.01) · record date Nov 24, payable Dec 4 · announced after the Nov 10 close, so not in the price; figures below are the Nov 10 close
- 11/10 Director Helena Foulkes resignation disclosed (8-K Item 5.02)Resigned Nov 7, filed Nov 10 · sat on the Audit and Nominating and Governance committees · the 8-K states it was not due to a disagreement (checked in the S3 filing) · figures below are the Nov 10 close
- 11/5 JPMorgan raises target from $1,015 to $1,150Yahoo Finance target change · Overweight kept
09Upcoming Events
- Nov 13 (Fri) · Weekly options expiryMax pain $1,042.50 · open interest put/call 2.04
- Nov 20 (Fri) · Monthly options expiryMax pain $980 · open interest put/call 1.57
- Nov 24 (Tue) · Special dividend record date$30 per share · holders at the close (8-K)
10Key Risks
- High multiple against slowing growth (forward P/E 45.8x vs EPS growth around 10%)Impact Medium · Likelihood High · Watch Dec 10 earnings
- Fiscal Q1 revenue and EPS miss the consensus ($74.38B and $4.92)Impact Medium · Likelihood High · Watch Dec 10 earnings
- Higher rates (10-year yield 4.98%, earnings yield 2.2%)Impact Medium · Likelihood Medium · Watch Next rate data
11Checkpoints
- ★★★ Nov 24 record date and Dec 4 paymentWatch how the price adjusts by $30 after the record date. Cash and short-term investments are $21.30B and the dividend totals $13.30B.
- ★★★ Dec 10 fiscal Q1 resultsWatch whether revenue reaches the $74.38B consensus, EPS reaches $4.92, and growth holds near 10%.
- ★★☆ Target trendWatch whether the average target rises above $1,073.35. Recent changes are four raises and one cut.