Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) Receives $1,043.13 Consensus Price Target from Analysts

Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) have been assigned an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the thirty-four ratings firms that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, eleven have issued a hold recommendation and twenty-two have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price target among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $1,044.30.

Several brokerages recently issued reports on COST. BTIG Research restated a “buy” rating and set a $1,115.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,171.00 to $1,088.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an “outperform” rating and set a $1,155.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $1,050.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, March 5th.

Key Costco Wholesale News

Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Board raises quarterly dividend to $1.47 (annualized $5.88), signaling strong cash flow and executive confidence; ex-dividend/record dates set and investors reacted favorably. Costco announces dividend increase
• Positive Sentiment: Mizuho raised its price target to $1,100 and maintained an Outperform rating, giving an upside view that supports buying interest. Mizuho increases price target
• Positive Sentiment: Telsey Advisory Group and Wells Fargo have also lifted targets or reiterated positive views, underscoring steady execution and supporting momentum in the stock. Telsey and Wells Fargo raise targets
• Positive Sentiment: Company expansion and product moves — a new store format planned for the west side of a major metroplex and exclusive product rollouts (e.g., Aussie Miracle Curls jumbo pack) highlight growth and differentiated merchandising. New store format for Metroplex
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts and checks show Costco “selling a lot of gas,” which boosts transaction counts and basket sizes — but commentary notes a “catch” (durability/price sensitivity of gas-driven traffic) that makes the benefit uneven. Gas sales boost but with caveat
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage pieces note Costco’s Japan expansion and membership model as durable long-term positives, but these are longer-horizon drivers rather than immediate catalysts. Japan growth story
• Negative Sentiment: Local competition — reports that Sam’s Club and BJ’s are gaining traction in some markets — could pressure share gains in contested trade areas and is a watch item for market-share risk. Competitors gaining traction

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 0.2%

Shares of COST opened at $987.21 on Tuesday. Costco Wholesale has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,067.08. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The firm has a market capitalization of $437.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.34, a P/E/G ratio of 4.85 and a beta of 0.99. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $995.77 and its 200 day moving average price is $944.13.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $68.96 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $4.02 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st will be paid a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is currently 27.04%.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total value of $732,204.60. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total value of $838,321.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 4,228 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,169,907.28. This represents a 16.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Costco Wholesale

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Hurley Capital LLC lifted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares during the period. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Finally, Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Company Profile

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a global chain of membership-only warehouse clubs that sell a wide array of merchandise in bulk at discounted prices. The company’s product mix includes groceries, fresh and frozen food, household goods, electronics, apparel, and seasonal items, augmented by its prominent private-label brand, Kirkland Signature. Costco’s business model centers on annual membership fees and high-volume, low-margin sales, designed to drive repeat purchasing and strong customer loyalty among both consumers and small-business buyers.

Beyond merchandise, Costco provides a range of ancillary services that complement its warehouses, including gasoline stations, pharmacy and optical services, hearing aid centers, photo services, and travel and insurance products.