Costco’s Premium Valuation Tops a Busy Earnings Week
Next week’s earnings calendar spans EVs, biotech, retail, restaurants, and staples, but Costco stands out with a premium 45.4 P/E heading into results. The lineup also includes VinFast, Abivax, AutoZone, Cintas, Paychex, General Mills, Darden, and TD SYNNEX.
Next week’s earnings slate spans high-growth losses, defensive staples, and premium retail names, but Costco’s lofty valuation will be the main market test. Investors will be watching whether strong execution can justify the multiple as results from VinFast, Abivax, AutoZone, Cintas, Paychex, General Mills, Darden, and TD SYNNEX set the tone across sectors.
Next week's earnings calendar starts with VinFast Auto (VFS) on Sept. 18 and ends with Costco Wholesale (COST), Darden Restaurants (DRI), and TD SYNNEX (SNX) on Sept. 24. The lineup spans loss-making EV and biotech names, defensive staples, specialty retail, restaurants, and technology distribution, creating a sharp test of how different business models carry their valuations into quarterly results.
Key Takeaways
VinFast Auto (VFS) reports Sept. 18 with negative EPS of -$1.84 and a Buy analyst consensus, while its $3.23 share price remains below its 200-day average.
Abivax (ABVX) follows on Sept. 21. Analysts list 12 buys and 1 hold, but the biotech stock trades below both its 50-day and 200-day averages.
AutoZone (AZO) reports Sept. 22 after its latest EPS result of $38.07 exceeded a $36.22 estimate, despite a share price close to its 52-week low.
The Sept. 23 group includes Cintas (CTAS), Paychex (PAYX), and General Mills (GIS), with all three carrying Hold analyst consensus ratings.
Costco, Darden, and TD SYNNEX close the week on Sept. 24, combining Costco's premium 45.4 P/E with Darden's restaurant exposure and TD SYNNEX's strong latest EPS comparison.
VinFast Auto (VFS): EV Losses Meet a Buy Consensus
VinFast Auto reports on Sept. 18. The electric vehicle maker trades at $3.23, down $0.01 on the latest session. Its share price sits above the 50-day average of $3.1204 but below the 200-day average of $3.39055. The 52-week range runs from $2.78 to $5.285, placing the stock well below its annual high. The financial profile remains loss-making, with EPS of -$1.84 and a P/E of -1.76. The latest dated EPS comparison, from Sept. 18, showed an actual loss of $0.26 per share against a $0.26 estimate. Analysts still give VFS a Buy consensus, with 3 buys and 1 hold. That rating stands beside negative earnings and a price below its long-term average, making the EPS comparison the central benchmark for this report.
Abivax (ABVX): Biotech Conviction Against a Weak Price Trend
Abivax reports on Sept. 21. The healthcare biotech stock trades at $105.04 after falling $1.95 in the latest session. It remains below its 50-day average of $121.9122 and its 200-day average of $118.97987. The 52-week range spans $69.81 to $148.83, showing a wide trading history around the current price. ABVX posted negative EPS of -$1.90777. Its latest dated comparison, from May 22, showed a loss of $0.71 per share versus a $1.07 loss estimate. Analyst support is unusually concentrated: 12 buys and 1 hold produce a Buy consensus, with no sell ratings listed. The market view therefore favors the company despite negative EPS and a share price beneath both major moving averages.
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AutoZone (AZO): Strong EPS History Meets a Near-Low Share Price
AutoZone reports on Sept. 22. The specialty retailer trades at $2,855.31, up $11 on the latest session. The stock is near its 52-week low of $2,815 and remains below its 50-day average of $2,996.8625 and 200-day average of $3,336.1611. Its current P/E is 19.63, with EPS of $145.45. The latest dated earnings comparison was favorable. On May 26, AZO posted EPS of $38.07 against a $36.22 estimate. Analysts list a Buy consensus, supported by 1 strong buy, 32 buys, and 12 holds. The contrast is direct: the latest EPS result beat its estimate, yet the share price remains near the bottom of its annual range. That combination gives this consumer cyclical report a clear valuation and momentum angle.
Cintas (CTAS): High Valuation Meets a Hold Consensus
Cintas reports on Sept. 23. The industrial uniform and business services provider trades at $197.64, down $0.32. Its price is below the 50-day average of $201.4912 but above the 200-day average of $187.5292. The stock carries EPS of $4.94 and a P/E of 40.01, placing a high valuation on a company with a Hold consensus. Analysts list 12 buys, 16 holds, and 2 sells. The latest dated earnings comparison, from July 15, showed EPS of $1.29 versus a $1.24 estimate. That result beat the listed estimate, but the current analyst distribution remains cautious. The earnings preview therefore centers on whether Cintas can support a premium multiple while its share price sits below the 50-day average.
Paychex reports on Sept. 23. The payroll and human capital management provider trades at $116.14 after falling $0.37. The stock is below its 50-day average of $118.6814 but above its 200-day average of $104.29675. Its EPS is $5.51 and its P/E is 21.08. The latest dated result, from June 24, showed EPS of $1.32 against a $1.31 estimate. Analysts remain divided, with 5 buys, 20 holds, and 5 sells for a Hold consensus. Paychex operates in the Industrials sector and focuses on small and medium-sized businesses. The modest latest EPS beat and the balanced analyst split place this report in the steady-execution category rather than the high-growth category.
General Mills (GIS): Low Valuation and Defensive Demand in Focus
General Mills reports on Sept. 23. The packaged food company trades at $36.32, down $0.34. Its price sits below the 50-day average of $37.831 and the 200-day average of $39.41835. The stock's 52-week range is $31.75 to $51.33. Its P/E is 10.23, with EPS of $3.55. On July 1, General Mills posted EPS of $0.95 versus a $0.797 estimate. Analysts still assign a Hold consensus, with 8 buys, 22 holds, and 6 sells. The low P/E and price below both moving averages give the report a value-oriented profile. The latest EPS comparison supplies a positive earnings reference, while the analyst split reflects a more restrained view of the packaged foods business.
Costco Wholesale (COST): Premium Defense Under Review
Costco reports on Sept. 24. The consumer defensive retailer trades at $895.31, up $1.38 on the latest session. Its share price remains below the 50-day average of $936.5394 and the 200-day average of $960.4171. The 52-week range runs from $844.06 to $1,096.50. Costco carries EPS of $19.72 and a P/E of 45.4. The latest dated earnings comparison, from May 28, showed EPS of $4.93 against a $5 estimate. Analysts maintain a Buy consensus, with 39 buys, 19 holds, and 1 sell. Costco's premium multiple stands out among the week's defensive names. Its latest EPS result came below the listed estimate, so the stock enters this earnings date with a high valuation and a recent benchmark that demands careful attention.
Darden Restaurants (DRI): Restaurant Strength at a Midrange Valuation
Darden Restaurants reports on Sept. 24. The operator of Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, and other full-service brands trades at $209.32, up $2.58. Its price is slightly below the 50-day average of $210.4578 but above the 200-day average of $202.69995. The stock has a 52-week range of $169 to $229.76, EPS of $10.66, and a P/E of 19.64. Darden's latest dated comparison, from June 25, showed EPS of $3.66 versus a $3.63 estimate. Analysts list a Buy consensus, with 38 buys, 20 holds, and 1 sell. The latest EPS result exceeded its estimate, while the share price remains close to its 50-day average. That combination gives DRI a more balanced profile than Costco, with a lower P/E and a positive recent earnings comparison.
TD SYNNEX (SNX): Technology Distribution Keeps the Strongest EPS Record
TD SYNNEX reports on Sept. 24. The technology distributor trades at $266.16, up $1.75. Unlike most of the focus stocks, SNX sits above both its 50-day average of $254.4006 and its 200-day average of $209.81226. Its 52-week range is $142.22 to $296.47. The company carries EPS of $16.99 and a P/E of 15.67. The latest dated comparison, from June 25, showed EPS of $4.85 versus a $4.14 estimate. Analysts give SNX a Buy consensus, with 1 strong buy, 18 buys, 4 holds, and 1 sell. Price momentum, a lower P/E than Costco and Cintas, and the strongest listed EPS comparison make TD SYNNEX one of the week's clearest growth and valuation crossovers.
This earnings week moves from negative-EPS EV and biotech companies to established retailers, business service providers, restaurants, and technology distribution. The sharpest contrasts sit between Costco's 45.4 P/E, TD SYNNEX's 15.67 P/E, and AutoZone's share price near its annual low after a positive EPS comparison. Those figures give the calendar a clear split between premium valuation, proven earnings delivery, and price recovery potential.
▌Common Questions
Frequently asked questions
+When does Costco report earnings this week?
Costco Wholesale is scheduled to report on Sept. 24, closing out the week’s earnings calendar. It is one of the most closely watched reports because the stock trades at a premium valuation.
+Why is Costco’s valuation getting so much attention?
Costco carries a 45.4 P/E, which is high even for a defensive consumer staple. That makes the earnings release important for judging whether the company can keep growing fast enough to support the multiple.
+Which companies are reporting before Costco?
The week starts with VinFast Auto on Sept. 18 and includes Abivax, AutoZone, Cintas, Paychex, and General Mills before Costco reports on Sept. 24. The calendar also includes Darden Restaurants and TD SYNNEX at the end of the week.
+What is the main market takeaway from this earnings week?
The key theme is valuation discipline across very different business models, from loss-making EV and biotech names to premium retailers and defensive staples. Investors will be comparing earnings execution against share prices that already reflect very different expectations.
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