Should You Buy Costco Stock Before March 5?

Core Viewpoint - Costco Wholesale's stock has seen a significant increase of 16% at the start of 2026, approaching its all-time high of $1,078, with investor sentiment rising ahead of its upcoming earnings report on March 5 [1][2]. Financial Performance - In the last reported earnings on December 11, 2025, Costco's revenue increased by approximately 8.3%, with a comparable growth rate of 6.4%, indicating solid business performance [4]. - For December, a crucial holiday month, Costco's comparable sales growth rate was 7% across all regions, suggesting a strong quarter is likely in March [7]. Stock Valuation - Costco's stock is currently trading at a high price-to-earnings multiple of 54, significantly above the S&P 500 average of 25, indicating it is overvalued [10]. - Despite beating expectations in its last quarterly report, the stock did not see a corresponding increase and instead fell in the subsequent weeks [9]. Market Data - As of the latest data, Costco's current stock price is $998.31, with a market capitalization of $444 billion [8]. - The stock has a gross margin of 12.88% and a dividend yield of 0.64% [9].