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COSTCostco Wholesale CorporationHold5.9·$968.80-0.37%
COST · Why this verdict

Why Costco Wholesale (COST) is rated HOLD

Updated

Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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Methodology · Editorial policy & full disclaimer

VerdictHOLD
Overall score5.9/10
ConfidenceMEDIUM
MacroRISK_OFF

Per-dimension breakdown

Value

3.6/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
P/E2.6
P/S9.3
EV/EBITDA0.0
Fwd P/E2.6
PEG2.6
Analyst target5.0
  • Forward P/E: 43.0x
  • PEG: 4.75

Quality

4.8/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
ROE9.7
ROA5.8
Gross margin0.0
Op margin1.5
Net margin1.5
Current ratio4.2
FCF quality5.9
Moat6.8
Piotroski F7.8
  • Excellent ROE: 29%
  • Earnings quality warning: 79% FCF/NI
  • Strong Piotroski F-Score: 7/9

Growth

8.9/10data confidence 67%
ComponentSub-score
Rev growth7.9
EPS growth10.0
  • Strong growth: 22% YoY

Momentum

5.4/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
RSI8.2
MACD0.0
OBV10.0
MA position4.0
Volume4.8
  • Uptrend pullback (RSI 33) - buy opportunity
  • Volume accumulation (rising OBV)
  • Above 200-day MA

Sentiment

7.3/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
LLM sentiment7.8
Analyst rating7.5
Price target6.6
  • LLM news sentiment: +0.55 (n=4)

Insider

5.0/10data confidence 50%
ComponentSub-score
materiality5.0
holder change5.1
  • Negligible insider selling — $1,427,305 (0.000% of mkt cap)

Peer rank

4.7/10data confidence 80%
ComponentSub-score
value rank0.6
quality rank5.6
growth rank7.8

Technical

7.6/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
bollinger7.3
support resistance7.8
52w position7.7

Risk (lower is worse)

6.9/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
short interest9.2
days to cover6.5
volatility5.7
put call6.3
implied vol6.6
beta7.8
debt equity7.4
news risk6.0
  • Concentration risks: 1 HIGH, 1 MED (10-K Item 1A — sized via position_sizing, validated via buy_confidence)

Catalyst

6.2/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
erm5.0
earnings history10.0
earnings timing5.0
surprise avg3.4
dividend safety6.0
news activity8.0
  • Strong earnings: 3B/0M
  • Dividend: 61.0%

How the verdict was assembled

Engine trigger

Mixed signals. Hold existing position.

Engine technical detail
verdict_path: L4:PATH_F_HOLD_DEFAULT
Passed (8)
  • MOMENTUM:5.4>=4.5
  • INSIDER:OK
  • 8K:CLEAN
  • NEWS_BOOST:EARNINGS:0.70
  • NEWS_BOOST:ANALYST:0.70
  • EARNINGS_PROXIMITY:109d clear
  • SEMI_CYCLE_PEAK:CLEAR
  • MATERIALS_CYCLE_PEAK:CLEAR
Failed (1)
  • ASYMMETRY:0.5<1.5@spot
Warning (1)
  • MOMENTUM:5.4<5.5 (soft — BUY_NOW allowed but watch)
Reward-to-Risk
0.45
Upside
+2.5%
Downside
5.4%
Sizing output
AVOID

SetupUNKNOWN No clear chart pattern; technical signals are mixed

EdgeNO_EDGE No clear edge identified

SuitabilityMODERATE Balanced profile

Investment implication

The default F-path HOLD fired without any positive-conviction gate triggering — no momentum acceleration, no quality+value crossover, no setup recognition. Highest-clear gate: MOMENTUM:5.4>=4.5. Top dim: Growth at 8.9; weakest: Value at 3.6. The engine's read is one of pattern absence — no directional conviction in either direction at current asymmetry.

The strongest dimensions are Growth at 8.9, Technical at 7.6, and Sentiment at 7.3; the weakest are Value at 3.6, Peer rank at 4.7, and Quality at 4.8. The V9 engine flagged 1 failed gate with 1 warning, producing an asymmetric reward-to-risk of 0.45 and an engine sizing output of AVOID.

Engine reasoning is mechanically derived from pipeline gate outputs. See decision view.

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