Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) Price Target Raised to $1,275.00

Key Points

• UBS Group raised its price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,205 to $1,275 and kept a buy rating, implying about 17.7% upside from the prior close.
• Costco shares were down 1.0% in Wednesday trading to $1,083.11, though the stock remains near its 52-week high and well above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages.
• Analyst sentiment remains broadly positive: 22 analysts rate the stock Buy, and the consensus price target stands at $1,052.60, with several other firms also recently lifting their targets.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) had its price target hoisted by UBS Group from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 in a research report issued on Wednesday,MarketScreener reports. The firm presently has a "buy" rating on the retailer's stock. UBS Group's price target suggests a potential upside of 17.72% from the company's previous close.

COST has been the subject of several other research reports. Mizuho increased their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,065.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 16th. Oppenheimer upped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Tuesday. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated an "outperform" rating and issued a $1,192.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Tuesday, May 12th. Truist Financial boosted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $926.00 to $977.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group upped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 10th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,052.60.

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 1.0%

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock traded down $11.21 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $1,083.11. The stock had a trading volume of 280,082 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,078,253. The firm has a market capitalization of $480.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 56.35, a P/E/G ratio of 5.30 and a beta of 0.92. Costco Wholesale has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,096.50. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $1,004.71 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $957.59.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The business had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $4.02 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale will post 20.31 earnings per share for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total value of $732,204.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Brighton Jones LLC increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 12.3% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 19,825 shares of the retailer's stock worth $18,165,000 after purchasing an additional 2,172 shares during the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 13.1% during the fourth quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,123 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,029,000 after purchasing an additional 130 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 4.5% in the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 3,853 shares of the retailer's stock worth $3,814,000 after purchasing an additional 165 shares in the last quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.1% in the second quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. now owns 2,110 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $2,089,000 after buying an additional 23 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Schnieders Capital Management LLC. increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 2.2% in the second quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 8,502 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $8,416,000 after buying an additional 182 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market watchers highlighted Costco as a long-term, low-risk stock, reinforcing the view that its stable membership model and defensive business profile remain attractive to investors. Costco (COST) – Among the 10 Best Long Term Low Risk Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds
• Positive Sentiment: Strong April sales, including solid comparable-store growth and digital gains, continued to support the case that Costco is benefiting from value-seeking consumers and can still grow even in a cautious spending environment. Costco's April Sales Reinforce Its Case as the Ultimate Defensive Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s 13% dividend increase and long track record of annual raises added another catalyst, signaling management confidence and drawing income-oriented investors. Costco Stock (COST) Hits 52-Week High as Company Raises Dividend 13%
• Positive Sentiment: Several bullish previews ahead of Costco’s May 28 earnings report argued that the company does not need a blowout quarter to justify further upside, with steady membership renewals and execution likely enough to keep momentum going. Costco (COST) Doesn’t Need a Blowout Q3. Steady Renewals May Be Enough
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco also made headlines for new food court offerings, store expansion plans, and a property purchase, which are positive operational signs but likely less important for the stock’s near-term move than sales, dividends, and upcoming earnings. Forget chicken fingers, Costco quietly adds new food court item
• Negative Sentiment: One potential overhang is a Reuters report that Costco is asking a U.S. judge to reject a consumer class action tied to tariff refunds, which adds a legal risk even if it does not appear to be the main driver of the stock today. Costco urges US judge to reject consumer class action over tariff refunds

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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