Options Skew Analytics

COST options analytics

COST · Stock

Data as of 9 November 2026 (end of day)

COST options are pricing a 30-day at-the-money volatility of 24.0%, a move of about ±6.9% over the next month. That is higher than 59% of the 252 sessions in its trailing year.

Its 25-delta puts carry 1.18 volatility points more than the calls, around the middle of its own range for the past year.

The term structure is inverted: 90-day volatility is 7% below 30-day, which happens when the market prices something dated into the nearer expirations.

Its next earnings report is 2026-12-10 (estimated from its reporting cadence).

Across its last 6 reports the options market priced an average move of ±4.4% and COST moved 2.9% on average, staying inside the priced band 4 times out of 6.

Current readings

30-day ATM implied volatilityⓘ
24.00%

Prices a move of about ±6.9% over 30 days, or ±1.5% on a typical day.

Higher than 59% of the past year.

25-delta risk reversalⓘ
+1.18

Puts carry 1.18 volatility points more than calls the same distance from the money.

Higher than 31% of the past year.

25-delta butterflyⓘ
-0.20

The wings carry 0.20 volatility points less than at-the-money.

Term structure slopeⓘ
0.932

90-day volatility is 7% below 30-day.

Higher than 23% of the past year.

Where 30-day implied volatility sits

Against 252 prior sessions (one-year window)

24.0% — 59th percentile
16.9%42.4%
IV percentile, 1 year
59%
IV rank, 1 year
28%
IV percentile, 2 years
56%
IV rank, 2 years
28%

Rank is the position between the lowest and highest readings in the window, so a single past extreme pins everything after it near one end. Percentile is the share of sessions below the current reading and is unaffected by how far that extreme reached. Both are withheld when the window holds fewer than 180 sessions.

Session detail

Underlying close
$1,066.18
30-day implied forward
$1,065.09
60-day ATM IV
23.39%
90-day ATM IV
22.37%
180-day ATM IV
23.34%
Expirations used
15
Total open interest
143,373
Put / call open interest
0.65

The forward is derived from put-call parity on the strikes nearest the money, not taken from the underlying close. It is what every moneyness and delta on this page is measured against.

30-day at-the-money implied volatility

Last 331 sessions

10%20%30%40%50%26 Aug26 Dec28 Apr26 Aug9 Nov
Show the underlying numbers (most recent 120)
Session30-day ATM IV25-delta RRTerm slopeClose
2026-11-0924.00%+1.180.932$1,066.18
2026-11-0623.35%+0.850.999$1,053.56
2026-11-0524.86%+0.720.987$1,065.59
2026-11-0421.64%+0.451.060$1,046.47
2026-11-0322.04%+1.071.044$1,019.26
2026-11-0221.78%+1.321.063$1,040.55
2026-10-3021.63%+0.051.051$1,012.28
2026-10-2918.26%+0.721.165$996.08
2026-10-2819.69%+0.731.093$982.73
2026-10-2719.69%+0.341.098$992.13
2026-10-2620.19%+0.961.092$1,005.16
2026-10-2319.87%+0.851.094$1,003.32
2026-10-2220.55%+0.751.067$1,018.21
2026-10-2118.89%+0.651.096$998.31
2026-10-2019.45%+0.841.100$994.61
2026-10-1919.58%+1.031.090$995.53
2026-10-1619.53%+1.001.119$989.11
2026-10-1521.08%+0.541.041$978.01
2026-10-1419.66%+1.251.072$982.00
2026-10-1319.20%+0.491.077$954.63
2026-10-0918.00%+0.681.139$946.92
2026-10-0818.85%+0.261.094$947.92
2026-10-0719.06%+0.871.095$942.25
2026-10-0619.36%+0.271.090$935.68
2026-10-0519.50%+0.211.091$923.52
2026-10-0219.32%+0.801.091$920.65
2026-10-0119.47%+0.711.097$914.94
2026-09-3018.86%+0.491.133$910.34
2026-09-2919.39%+0.631.092$924.59
2026-09-2819.78%+0.211.086$922.92
2026-09-2519.57%+0.571.094$922.77
2026-09-2423.90%-0.280.971$896.48
2026-09-2324.23%-1.160.957$904.70
2026-09-2222.63%-0.121.021$899.41
2026-09-2123.17%-0.270.999$898.48
2026-09-1823.67%+0.210.995$895.31
2026-09-1723.44%-0.010.997$893.93
2026-09-1624.82%-0.230.963$893.74
2026-09-1525.05%+0.010.956$901.35
2026-09-1423.85%+0.770.967$918.91
2026-09-1123.72%-0.750.991$904.77
2026-09-1024.81%+0.530.956$902.38
2026-09-0924.60%-0.090.969$902.60
2026-09-0824.78%-0.280.961$910.18
2026-09-0424.03%-0.280.960$915.74
2026-09-0323.77%-0.480.956$925.41
2026-09-0225.12%+0.500.932$928.48
2026-09-0125.77%-0.570.913$939.96
2026-08-3124.21%+0.380.951$943.89
2026-08-2823.67%+1.040.954$945.47
2026-08-2723.85%+0.280.963$934.66
2026-08-2624.13%-0.670.930$956.12
2026-08-2523.45%-1.120.972$960.01
2026-08-2422.75%+0.041.019$971.40
2026-08-2121.07%-0.121.096$947.74
2026-08-2021.54%-0.451.073$933.51
2026-08-1920.22%-0.841.122$956.99
2026-08-1820.59%-0.041.122$961.35
2026-08-1719.80%+0.191.140$953.50
2025-09-2920.13%+0.261.114$916.87
2025-09-2619.90%+0.181.136$915.95
2025-09-2526.11%+0.240.954$943.31
2025-09-2425.61%+1.620.975$945.27
2025-09-2326.00%+1.210.944$943.60
2025-09-2225.44%+0.170.958$943.26
2025-09-1925.90%+1.060.955$951.16
2025-09-1825.81%+0.970.934$952.36
2025-09-1725.79%+0.430.935$963.03
2025-09-1626.10%+1.330.935$952.07
2025-09-1525.82%+1.800.922$960.10
2025-09-1224.94%+1.910.933$967.90
2025-09-1125.50%+1.410.913$964.32
2025-09-1025.69%+0.770.925$956.29
2025-09-0924.64%+2.900.941$979.25
2025-09-0823.81%+3.050.975$971.85
2025-09-0524.59%+2.350.942$963.48
2025-09-0424.60%+1.630.943$955.90
2025-09-0325.15%+1.280.939$949.78
2025-09-0224.89%+1.580.941$938.82
2025-08-2924.77%+2.050.937$943.32
2025-08-2825.08%+1.230.913$944.96
2025-08-2725.17%+0.640.927$949.52
2025-08-2624.18%+0.230.967$941.34
2025-08-2524.03%+1.410.965$941.58
2025-08-2221.30%+2.191.085$958.54
2025-08-2120.98%+1.281.105$969.68
2025-08-2019.68%+1.301.133$994.57
2025-08-1919.89%+1.641.144$980.85
2025-08-1818.92%+1.581.191$979.35
2025-08-1519.23%+1.411.164$972.04
2025-08-1419.16%+1.421.181$975.39
2025-08-1318.94%+1.631.191$978.85
2025-08-1218.59%+0.981.195$991.25
2025-08-1119.63%+1.501.149$988.74
2025-08-0818.92%+1.401.179$980.98
2025-08-0719.51%+1.901.145$977.45
2025-08-0619.70%+1.711.155$968.56
2025-08-0520.06%+1.751.148$943.63
2025-08-0419.65%+1.831.151$955.37
2025-08-0119.82%+2.201.163$952.52
2025-07-3120.09%+1.401.126$939.64
2025-07-3019.46%+0.971.157$927.51
2025-07-2920.17%+1.711.128$934.57
2025-07-2818.51%+1.641.198$933.99
2025-07-2518.82%+1.321.163$935.48
2025-07-2419.11%+1.251.166$933.80
2025-07-2319.09%+1.021.152$941.19
2025-07-2219.15%+2.581.149$941.61
2025-07-2119.41%+1.471.114$947.56
2025-07-1818.98%+1.721.166$950.95
2025-07-1719.34%+1.321.147$953.91
2025-07-1620.03%+1.231.107$951.37
2025-07-1520.17%+1.631.113$967.68
2025-07-1419.86%+1.031.106$980.91
2025-07-1120.39%+1.531.081$970.33
2025-07-1020.68%+1.781.083$970.17
2025-07-0920.59%+1.411.078$982.09
2025-07-0820.33%+1.061.090$985.84
2025-07-0720.63%+1.801.083$992.18
2025-07-0319.09%+1.361.129$987.02

The chart covers every session in the archive, 331 in total. The table lists the most recent 120.

25-delta risk reversal

Last 331 sessions

-5.00.05.010.015.026 Aug26 Dec28 Apr26 Aug9 Nov

The dashed line marks zero, where the 25-delta put and call carry the same implied volatility.

Skew curve

Implied volatility by delta, front expirations

Implied volatility by delta

4d (2026-11-13) · 11d (2026-11-20) · 18d (2026-11-27)

20%22%24%26%28%30%32%2026-11-13 (4d) — 5Δ C — IV 26.25%2026-11-13 (4d) — 10Δ C — IV 25.76%2026-11-13 (4d) — 15Δ C — IV 25.48%2026-11-13 (4d) — 20Δ C — IV 25.37%2026-11-13 (4d) — 25Δ C — IV 25.25%2026-11-13 (4d) — 30Δ C — IV 25.24%2026-11-13 (4d) — 35Δ C — IV 25.38%2026-11-13 (4d) — 40Δ C — IV 25.46%2026-11-13 (4d) — 45Δ C — IV 25.47%2026-11-13 (4d) — ATM — IV 25.47%2026-11-13 (4d) — 45Δ P — IV 25.57%2026-11-13 (4d) — 40Δ P — IV 25.81%2026-11-13 (4d) — 35Δ P — IV 26.06%2026-11-13 (4d) — 30Δ P — IV 26.21%2026-11-13 (4d) — 25Δ P — IV 26.54%2026-11-13 (4d) — 20Δ P — IV 26.88%2026-11-13 (4d) — 15Δ P — IV 27.49%2026-11-13 (4d) — 10Δ P — IV 28.33%2026-11-13 (4d) — 5Δ P — IV 30.67%4d2026-11-20 (11d) — 5Δ C — IV 25.29%2026-11-20 (11d) — 10Δ C — IV 24.30%2026-11-20 (11d) — 15Δ C — IV 23.81%2026-11-20 (11d) — 20Δ C — IV 23.57%2026-11-20 (11d) — 25Δ C — IV 23.41%2026-11-20 (11d) — 30Δ C — IV 23.37%2026-11-20 (11d) — 35Δ C — IV 23.41%2026-11-20 (11d) — 40Δ C — IV 23.50%2026-11-20 (11d) — 45Δ C — IV 23.41%2026-11-20 (11d) — ATM — IV 23.57%2026-11-20 (11d) — 45Δ P — IV 23.60%2026-11-20 (11d) — 40Δ P — IV 23.80%2026-11-20 (11d) — 35Δ P — IV 24.00%2026-11-20 (11d) — 30Δ P — IV 24.19%2026-11-20 (11d) — 25Δ P — IV 24.39%2026-11-20 (11d) — 20Δ P — IV 24.70%2026-11-20 (11d) — 15Δ P — IV 25.17%2026-11-20 (11d) — 10Δ P — IV 25.91%2026-11-20 (11d) — 5Δ P — IV 27.28%11d2026-11-27 (18d) — 15Δ C — IV 21.98%2026-11-27 (18d) — 20Δ C — IV 22.17%2026-11-27 (18d) — 25Δ C — IV 22.75%2026-11-27 (18d) — 30Δ C — IV 22.89%2026-11-27 (18d) — 35Δ C — IV 23.00%2026-11-27 (18d) — 40Δ C — IV 21.45%2026-11-27 (18d) — 45Δ C — IV 23.67%2026-11-27 (18d) — ATM — IV 22.06%2026-11-27 (18d) — 45Δ P — IV 21.49%2026-11-27 (18d) — 40Δ P — IV 20.97%2026-11-27 (18d) — 35Δ P — IV 22.65%2026-11-27 (18d) — 30Δ P — IV 21.89%2026-11-27 (18d) — 25Δ P — IV 22.43%2026-11-27 (18d) — 20Δ P — IV 21.73%2026-11-27 (18d) — 15Δ P — IV 22.90%2026-11-27 (18d) — 10Δ P — IV 24.12%18d10Δ C25Δ CATM25Δ P10Δ Pout-of-the-money calls ← delta → out-of-the-money puts

The axis is call delta. Readings to the right of the dashed centre line are taken from the out-of-the-money put at that strike, which is the contract whose quote the volatility was solved from. Points are only plotted where surviving quotes bracket the delta on both sides; nothing is extrapolated past the last traded strike.

Show the underlying numbers
Delta4d11d18d
5Δ call26.25%25.29%—
10Δ call25.76%24.30%—
15Δ call25.48%23.81%21.98%
20Δ call25.37%23.57%22.17%
25Δ call25.25%23.41%22.75%
30Δ call25.24%23.37%22.89%
35Δ call25.38%23.41%23.00%
40Δ call25.46%23.50%21.45%
45Δ call25.47%23.41%23.67%
ATM25.47%23.57%22.06%
45Δ put25.57%23.60%21.49%
40Δ put25.81%23.80%20.97%
35Δ put26.06%24.00%22.65%
30Δ put26.21%24.19%21.89%
25Δ put26.54%24.39%22.43%
20Δ put26.88%24.70%21.73%
15Δ put27.49%25.17%22.90%
10Δ put28.33%25.91%24.12%
5Δ put30.67%27.28%—

Wing readings by expiration

ExpirationDaysForwardATM IV25Δ put25Δ callRRButterflyQuotes
2026-11-134$1,064.0025.47%26.54%25.25%+1.28+0.4334
2026-11-2011$1,064.7523.57%24.39%23.41%+0.98+0.3347
2026-11-2718$1,061.7522.06%22.43%22.75%-0.32+0.5335
2026-12-0425$1,066.5821.64%22.44%20.81%+1.63-0.0235
2026-12-1132$1,064.5024.69%24.97%23.91%+1.06-0.2533
2026-12-1839$1,068.1924.18%25.17%23.74%+1.43+0.2740
2026-12-2445$1,066.7823.90%25.12%22.99%+2.13+0.1527
2027-01-1567$1,070.8323.23%23.56%22.22%+1.33-0.3455
2027-02-19102$1,073.7422.07%23.12%22.11%+1.01+0.5445
2027-03-19130$1,076.2223.14%24.02%22.62%+1.41+0.1954
2027-04-16158$1,080.1023.03%24.06%22.59%+1.47+0.2968
2027-05-21193$1,083.1223.48%23.89%22.88%+1.01-0.1032
2027-06-17220$1,087.9523.65%24.44%23.07%+1.37+0.1150
2027-08-20284$1,093.2323.86%24.44%23.23%+1.21-0.0210
2027-09-17312$1,096.9423.85%24.30%23.24%+1.07-0.0855

Each curve above is one expiration. The vertical position is implied volatility; the horizontal position is the delta of the contract it was read from. For US equities the curve normally slopes upward to the right, meaning out-of-the-money puts carry higher implied volatility than equidistant calls.

The 25-delta risk reversal summarises that slope as a single number: the 25-delta put volatility minus the 25-delta call volatility. The butterfly summarises the curvature: the average of the two wings minus the at-the-money reading.

Term structure

At-the-money implied volatility by expiration

At-the-money implied volatility by expiration

15 listed expirations produced a usable reading

21%22%23%24%25%26%2026-11-13 — 4 days — at-the-money IV 25.47%2026-11-20 — 11 days — at-the-money IV 23.57%2026-11-27 — 18 days — at-the-money IV 22.06%2026-12-04 — 25 days — at-the-money IV 21.64%2026-12-11 — 32 days — at-the-money IV 24.69%2026-12-18 — 39 days — at-the-money IV 24.18%2026-12-24 — 45 days — at-the-money IV 23.90%2027-01-15 — 67 days — at-the-money IV 23.23%2027-02-19 — 102 days — at-the-money IV 22.07%2027-03-19 — 130 days — at-the-money IV 23.14%2027-04-16 — 158 days — at-the-money IV 23.03%2027-05-21 — 193 days — at-the-money IV 23.48%2027-06-17 — 220 days — at-the-money IV 23.65%2027-08-20 — 284 days — at-the-money IV 23.86%2027-09-17 — 312 days — at-the-money IV 23.85%7306090180days to expiration

The horizontal axis is the square root of days to expiration, which is the scale volatility lives on. A curve that is flat in variance terms plots as a straight line here rather than bending sharply through the front week.

Show the underlying numbers
ExpirationDaysForwardATM IVATM strikeQuotes used
2026-11-134 days$1,064.0025.47%$1,064.3834
2026-11-2011 days$1,064.7523.57%$1,065.6447
2026-11-2718 days$1,061.7522.06%$1,063.0235
2026-12-0425 days$1,066.5821.64%$1,068.2935
2026-12-1132 days$1,064.5024.69%$1,067.3533
2026-12-1839 days$1,068.1924.18%$1,071.5340
2026-12-2445 days$1,066.7823.90%$1,070.5527
2027-01-1567 days$1,070.8323.23%$1,076.1555
2027-02-19102 days$1,073.7422.07%$1,081.0845
2027-03-19130 days$1,076.2223.14%$1,086.5354
2027-04-16158 days$1,080.1023.03%$1,092.5768
2027-05-21193 days$1,083.1223.48%$1,099.0332
2027-06-17220 days$1,087.9523.65%$1,106.4550
2027-08-20284 days$1,093.2323.86%$1,117.7210
2027-09-17312 days$1,096.9423.85%$1,123.9455

Constant maturities

Interpolated between the bracketing listed expirations, in total variance

30 days
24.00%
60 days
23.39%
90 days
22.37%
180 days
23.34%

Interpolation is linear in total variance, not in volatility. Interpolating volatility directly implies a forward variance that can be negative between two expirations. A tenor beyond the longest listed expiration is reported as unavailable rather than extrapolated.

Term structure slope

Last 331 sessions

0.801.001.201.4026 Aug26 Dec28 Apr26 Aug9 Nov

The dashed line marks 1.00, where the 90-day and 30-day at-the-money volatilities are equal. Above it the longer tenor carries the higher volatility.

The term structure is the at-the-money implied volatility of each listed expiration, plotted against how far away that expiration is. Its usual shape for a calm underlying slopes gently upward, because a longer horizon admits more uncertainty.

It inverts when the market prices a dated event: an expiration that captures a scheduled announcement carries the variance of that event on top of ordinary trading, so a shorter contract can print a higher volatility than a longer one.

Earnings

What the options priced in before each report, and what happened

Next report

2026-12-10Time not statedEstimated from its reporting cadence

How the pricing has held up

Over the last 6 reports

Landed inside the implied band
4 of 6
67% — about 68% is what an exactly-priced event gives
Mean implied move
4.4%
Mean move that happened
2.9%
absolute

Reports

Newest first. The implied move is one standard deviation, priced from the session before the release.

ReportSessionImplied ±RealisedRealised / implied
2026-09-24After the close3.9%+2.9%0.75×
2026-05-28After the close———
2026-03-05After the close———
2025-12-11After the close———
2025-09-25After the close4.3%+1.1%0.25×
2025-05-29After the close3.9%-5.5%1.42×
2025-03-06After the close5.1%-6.1%1.20×
2024-12-12After the close4.0%+0.1%0.02×
2024-09-26After the close5.1%-1.8%0.34×
2024-05-30After the close———
2024-03-07After the close———
2023-12-14After the close———
2023-09-26After the close———

The implied move is read from the at-the-money straddle on the first expiration strictly after the report date, converted to a one-standard-deviation move and divided by the forward. Realised moves are the close-to-close return across the event, measured from the session before the release to the session after it.

Report dates that have already happened come from the company’s own 8-K filing and are exact. A date still in the future is either one the company has announced, or an estimate from its reporting cadence.