Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) Receives Consensus Recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from Analysts

Key Points

• Analyst consensus: 34 analysts rate Costco a "Moderate Buy" (22 buy, 11 hold, 1 sell) with an average 12‑month target of about $1,039; several firms have recently raised targets, including BMO to $1,315 and Bank of America starting coverage at $1,185.
• Recent quarter beat estimates: Costco reported EPS of $4.58 (vs. $4.55 est.) and revenue of $69.6B (vs. $68.96B), with revenue up 9.2% year‑over‑year and analysts expecting roughly $18.03 EPS for the current year.
• Shareholder signals and payout: Costco pays a $1.30 quarterly dividend ($5.20 annual, ~0.5% yield) and insiders have sold ~7,645 shares (~$7.05M) in the past 90 days, while institutions own about 68.5% of the stock.

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) has earned an average rating of "Moderate Buy" from the thirty-four research firms that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, eleven have issued a hold recommendation and twenty-two have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month target price among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $1,039.1333.

A number of brokerages have weighed in on COST. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $900.00 to $950.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Bank of America assumed coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, February 27th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $1,185.00 price objective for the company. BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. TD Cowen reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Finally, HSBC lowered their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,045.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a report on Friday, December 12th.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $974.78 on Friday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $983.32 and a 200-day simple moving average of $938.37. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.59. The company has a market cap of $432.46 billion, a PE ratio of 50.69, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.84 and a beta of 1.01. Costco Wholesale has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,067.08.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The company's quarterly revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $4.02 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Friday, January 30th were issued a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is presently 27.04%.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Javier Polit sold 2,049 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Monday, December 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $867.21, for a total value of $1,776,913.29. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 10,748 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $9,320,773.08. The trade was a 16.01% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 7,645 shares of company stock valued at $7,049,302 in the last ninety days. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Costco Wholesale

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Cornerstone Planning LLC acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth about $3,003,000. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 20.4% in the 4th quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 394,311 shares of the retailer's stock worth $340,031,000 after purchasing an additional 66,904 shares during the period. Osbon Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $149,000. Lane Brothers & Co. Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $540,000. Finally, Fund Advisors of America Inc FL purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth about $384,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: New Kirkland Signature product launches and continued private-label innovation should support traffic and margins. Costco adds Kirkland Signature items. See what's new
• Positive Sentiment: Expansion into standalone fuel sites (first standalone gas station opening by late June) expands convenience offerings and non-dues revenue, a potential long-term win vs. c-store rivals. Costco’s first standalone gas station to open by late June
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple bullish write-ups argue Costco deserves a premium multiple given its business model, pricing power, membership loyalty and long-term growth runway — supportive for sentiment among buy-and-hold investors. 3 Reasons Costco Stock Deserves to Trade at a Sky-High Valuation
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage highlighting Costco’s “winning the price war” narrative reinforces defensive/consumer-staples demand during inflationary periods. Costco proves it’s winning the price war
• Neutral Sentiment: A TipRanks piece balances upside (~11% noted) with worries about the future of physical retail — may keep some investors cautious but doesn’t change revenue fundamentals immediately. Costco Stock Forecast: Can COST Keep Up amid Worries about the Future of Retail Stores?
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst/features asking “Is it too late to buy?” reflect the stock’s rich multi-year gains and high valuation — ongoing debate that can limit fresh inflows until clearer catalysts appear. Is It Too Late To Consider Costco Wholesale (COST) After Strong Multi Year Share Gains?
• Neutral Sentiment: Reported short-interest data shows no meaningful short position / days-to-cover change, so short-pressure is not a driver of today’s move. (Entry data provided internally.)
• Negative Sentiment: A small product recall (meatloaf meal) and press around potential membership price increases could create short-term sales or PR noise and give cautious traders a reason to trim positions. Costco Recalls Meatloaf Meal Over Possible Salmonella Risk
• Negative Sentiment: Macro/competitive risks — reports on tariff moves, energy-price volatility and aggressive promotions from peers (e.g., Target) raise concerns about margin pressure and cost passthrough, which can depress sentiment for retail stocks including COST. Trump tariffs live updates

About Costco Wholesale

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.

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