S&P 500   4,604.37
DOW   36,247.87
QQQ   392.17
MarketBeat Week in Review – 12/4 - 12/8
Dozens of animals taken from Virginia roadside zoo as part of investigation
Military-themed brewery wants to open in a big Navy town. An ex-SEAL is getting in the way
Agriculture gets its day at COP28, but experts see big barriers to cutting emissions
Shohei Ohtani joins big-money club with massive contract with Los Angeles Dodgers
Consumer product agency issues warning on small magnetic balls linked to deaths
AP PHOTOS: Moscow hosts a fashion forum with designers from Brazil, China, India and South Africa
S&P 500   4,604.37
DOW   36,247.87
QQQ   392.17
MarketBeat Week in Review – 12/4 - 12/8
Dozens of animals taken from Virginia roadside zoo as part of investigation
Military-themed brewery wants to open in a big Navy town. An ex-SEAL is getting in the way
Agriculture gets its day at COP28, but experts see big barriers to cutting emissions
Shohei Ohtani joins big-money club with massive contract with Los Angeles Dodgers
Consumer product agency issues warning on small magnetic balls linked to deaths
AP PHOTOS: Moscow hosts a fashion forum with designers from Brazil, China, India and South Africa
S&P 500   4,604.37
DOW   36,247.87
QQQ   392.17
MarketBeat Week in Review – 12/4 - 12/8
Dozens of animals taken from Virginia roadside zoo as part of investigation
Military-themed brewery wants to open in a big Navy town. An ex-SEAL is getting in the way
Agriculture gets its day at COP28, but experts see big barriers to cutting emissions
Shohei Ohtani joins big-money club with massive contract with Los Angeles Dodgers
Consumer product agency issues warning on small magnetic balls linked to deaths
AP PHOTOS: Moscow hosts a fashion forum with designers from Brazil, China, India and South Africa
S&P 500   4,604.37
DOW   36,247.87
QQQ   392.17
MarketBeat Week in Review – 12/4 - 12/8
Dozens of animals taken from Virginia roadside zoo as part of investigation
Military-themed brewery wants to open in a big Navy town. An ex-SEAL is getting in the way
Agriculture gets its day at COP28, but experts see big barriers to cutting emissions
Shohei Ohtani joins big-money club with massive contract with Los Angeles Dodgers
Consumer product agency issues warning on small magnetic balls linked to deaths
AP PHOTOS: Moscow hosts a fashion forum with designers from Brazil, China, India and South Africa

Costco Wholesale Stock Price, News & Analysis (NASDAQ:COST)

$610.78
-0.17 (-0.03%)
(As of 12/8/2023 ET)
Compare
Today's Range
$607.73
$613.61
50-Day Range
$543.03
$610.95
52-Week Range
$447.90
$613.61
Volume
1.50 million shs
Average Volume
1.62 million shs
Market Capitalization
$270.42 billion
P/E Ratio
43.13
Dividend Yield
0.67%
Price Target
$594.60

Costco Wholesale MarketRank™ Stock Analysis

Analyst Rating
Moderate Buy
2.76 Rating Score
Upside/​Downside
2.6% Downside
$594.60 Price Target
Short Interest
Healthy
1.21% of Float Sold Short
Dividend Strength
Strong
Based on Four Factors
Sustainability
-3.84
Upright™ Environmental Score
News Sentiment
0.82mentions of Costco Wholesale in the last 14 days
Based on 51 Articles This Week
Insider Trading
Selling Shares
$10.80 M Sold Last Quarter
Proj. Earnings Growth
8.73%
From $15.70 to $17.07 Per Share

Overall MarketRank

MarketRank is calculated as an average of available category scores, with extra weight given to analysis and valuation.

2.46 out of 5 stars

Retail/Wholesale Sector

48th out of 194 stocks

Variety Stores Industry

5th out of 10 stocks


COST stock logo

About Costco Wholesale Stock (NASDAQ:COST)

Costco Wholesale Corporation is central to the global warehouse membership club story. The company was founded in 1983 by Jim Sinegal and Jeffrey Brotman but its history dates back to 1976 because of the merger with Price Club. Costco, originally known as Costco Companies, quickly grew in its first two years and became the 1st company to go from $0 to $3 billion in revenue within the 1st 3 years. The company held its IPO in 1985.

Price Club was founded in 1976 by the Price family. It was among the very first warehouse membership clubs and targeted small merchants and businesses. It also saw quick success and went public in 1980. The Price family turned down an offer to merge with Walmart’s Sam’s Club in favor of a more suitable match-up with Costco. Coincidentally, Costco founder Jim Sinegal got his start in the retail business working for Sol Price at his original membership club, FedMart.

The new company was formed in 1993. It owned 206 stores and was called PriceCostco for a time. The Price family eventually exit the business in favor of new operations resulting in the rebranding to Costco Wholesale Corporation. The Price family's new business is called PriceSmart and operates a chain of membership clubs in the Caribbean and Central America. Price Club’s first store, opened in an old Howard Hughes airplane hangar, is still in operation and known as Costco #401.

Today, Costco is based in Issaquah, Washington and it is among the largest businesses in the world. The company operates as a member-only big-box retailer claiming more than 118 million members, it is ranked #10 on the Forbes Fortune 500 list and is the 5th largest retailer internationally. In terms of scale, it is the largest retailer of choice and prime beef, organic foods and rotisserie chickens. Rotisserie chickens are a long-standing tradition at Costco which pioneered their use. The chickens are sold for less than cost and used to attract business into the store.

The company operates through a network of subsidiaries that own warehouses in 11 countries, including the US and Puerto Rico. The company retails branded and private-label merchandise across verticals and categories and at “discounted” or bulk-rate prices. Product categories include grocery and frozen foods, apparel, sporting goods, electronics, auto care, appliances, housewares and even furniture. Nearly 70% of the stores are located in the US with another 13% in Canada and the remainder scattered around the globe.

In addition to retail, the company also provides many services including pharmacy, eye care, food & beverage and auto care centers. The company also operates more than 665 gas stations across its footprint and a robust eCommerce channel. Other services include delivery, travel and curbside pickup. As of the year-end calendar 2022, the company operated more than 840 stores and was on track to open new stores in the coming years. Total revenue in 2022 topped $226 billion, the company employs more than 304,000 individuals and it is a member of the S&P 500, the S&P 100 and the NASDAQ 100.

 

 

COST Stock Price History

COST Stock News Headlines

Consumer staples vs. consumer discretionary (COST)
What is consumer staples vs. consumer discretionary? In a strong economy, consumers spend more on consumer discretionary products. Learn more with MarketBeat.
What are consumer staples stocks? (COST)
Consumer staples stocks come from companies that produce in-demand goods and offer investors a safe harbor during inflation. Learn more.
Trading Experts Call It “The Perfect Tesla Trade”
Thanks to a new discovery linked to shares of Tesla, regular folks can now target gains of 100% or more in six days or less. New research shows it’s happened 23 different times this year. The next trade is scheduled for this Thursday.
Own Dollar General? Hurry and take this advice before earnings
Dollar General could be in trouble, or so markets think; you can be the judge of whether it is time to buy the recent momentum or wait for cheaper prices
Kroger shares are begging to be bought  (COST)
Kroger had a solid quarter proving its value to investors. The balance sheet is in fine shape ahead of an expected merger and dividend growth is on tap.
Williams-Sonoma is a steal for buy-and-hold investors (COST)
Williams-Sonoma is a high-quality dividend-paying stock with a long trajectory for distribution increases and share repurchases
3 intriguing late-week earnings plays for short-term traders (COST)
These consumer-facing companies slated to provide Q3 results and Q4 guidance later this week may present bullish stock and options trading opportunities.
Trading Experts Call It “The Perfect Tesla Trade”
Thanks to a new discovery linked to shares of Tesla, regular folks can now target gains of 100% or more in six days or less. New research shows it’s happened 23 different times this year. The next trade is scheduled for this Thursday.
10 Ways To Save on a Pre-Made Holiday Meal
Costco coming to Camarillo
Costco gives its members some great holiday news
Costco to open in Camarillo next fall
See More Headlines
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Company Calendar

Last Earnings
9/26/2023
Ex-Dividend for 11/17 Dividend
11/02/2023
Dividend Payable
11/17/2023
Today
12/09/2023
Next Earnings (Confirmed)
12/14/2023
Fiscal Year End
8/31/2024

Industry, Sector and Symbol

Industry
Variety stores
Sub-Industry
Hypermarkets & Super Centers
Current Symbol
NASDAQ:COST
CUSIP
22160K10
Employees
316,000
Year Founded
1983

Price Target and Rating

Average Stock Price Target
$594.60
High Stock Price Target
$652.00
Low Stock Price Target
$502.00
Potential Upside/Downside
-2.6%
Consensus Rating
Moderate Buy
Rating Score (0-4)
2.76
Research Coverage
25 Analysts

Profitability

Net Income
$6.29 billion
Pretax Margin
3.50%

Debt

Sales & Book Value

Annual Sales
$242.29 billion
Cash Flow
$19.41 per share
Book Value
$56.55 per share

Miscellaneous

Free Float
441,767,000
Market Cap
$270.42 billion
Optionable
Optionable
Beta
0.78

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COST Stock Analysis - Frequently Asked Questions

Should I buy or sell Costco Wholesale stock right now?

25 Wall Street equities research analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Costco Wholesale in the last year. There are currently 6 hold ratings and 19 buy ratings for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street equities research analysts is that investors should "moderate buy" COST shares.
View COST analyst ratings
or view top-rated stocks.

What is Costco Wholesale's stock price target for 2024?

25 brokers have issued twelve-month target prices for Costco Wholesale's stock. Their COST share price targets range from $502.00 to $652.00. On average, they anticipate the company's stock price to reach $594.60 in the next year. This suggests that the stock has a possible downside of 2.6%.
View analysts price targets for COST
or view top-rated stocks among Wall Street analysts.

How have COST shares performed in 2023?

Costco Wholesale's stock was trading at $456.50 on January 1st, 2023. Since then, COST stock has increased by 33.8% and is now trading at $610.78.
View the best growth stocks for 2023 here
.

Are investors shorting Costco Wholesale?

Costco Wholesale saw a increase in short interest during the month of November. As of November 15th, there was short interest totaling 5,310,000 shares, an increase of 20.4% from the October 31st total of 4,410,000 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 1,710,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 3.1 days. Currently, 1.2% of the shares of the company are sold short.
View Costco Wholesale's Short Interest
.

When is Costco Wholesale's next earnings date?

The company is scheduled to release its next quarterly earnings announcement on Thursday, December 14th 2023.
View our COST earnings forecast
.

How can I listen to Costco Wholesale's earnings call?

Costco Wholesale will be holding an earnings conference call on Thursday, December 14th at 5:00 PM Eastern. Interested parties can register for or listen to the call using this link.

How were Costco Wholesale's earnings last quarter?

Costco Wholesale Co. (NASDAQ:COST) posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, September, 26th. The retailer reported $4.86 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $4.79 by $0.07. The retailer earned $78.94 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $77.72 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.60% and a trailing twelve-month return on equity of 28.10%. Costco Wholesale's revenue was up 9.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $4.20 EPS.
Read the conference call transcript
.

How often does Costco Wholesale pay dividends? What is the dividend yield for Costco Wholesale?

Costco Wholesale declared a quarterly dividend on Wednesday, October 18th. Investors of record on Friday, November 3rd will be given a dividend of $1.02 per share on Friday, November 17th. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.67%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 2nd.
Read our dividend analysis for COST
.

Is Costco Wholesale a good dividend stock?

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) pays an annual dividend of $4.08 per share and currently has a dividend yield of 0.67%. The company has been increasing its dividend for 20 consecutive years, indicating the company has a strong committment to maintain and grow its dividend. The dividend payout ratio is 28.81%. This payout ratio is at a healthy, sustainable level, below 75%. Based on earnings estimates, COST will have a dividend payout ratio of 23.90% next year. This indicates that the company will be able to sustain or increase its dividend.
Read our dividend analysis for COST.

How were Costco Wholesale's same store sales last quarter?

Costco Wholesale same-store sales increased by 10% during the month of November. Costco Wholesale stock climbed by 0% in the first full-day of trading following the report.

What is Craig Jelinek's approval rating as Costco Wholesale's CEO?

3,447 employees have rated Costco Wholesale Chief Executive Officer Craig Jelinek on Glassdoor.com. Craig Jelinek has an approval rating of 92% among the company's employees. This puts Craig Jelinek in the top 30% of approval ratings compared to other CEOs of publicly-traded companies.

What other stocks do shareholders of Costco Wholesale own?

Based on aggregate information from My MarketBeat watchlists, some companies that other Costco Wholesale investors own include NVIDIA (NVDA), Walt Disney (DIS), Alibaba Group (BABA), Home Depot (HD), Netflix (NFLX), Visa (V), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Tesla (TSLA), Walmart (WMT) and Boeing (BA).

Who are Costco Wholesale's major shareholders?

Costco Wholesale's stock is owned by many different retail and institutional investors. Top institutional shareholders include FMR LLC (2.04%), Morgan Stanley (1.97%), Bank of New York Mellon Corp (1.30%), Northern Trust Corp (1.16%), Jennison Associates LLC (0.81%) and Legal & General Group Plc (0.63%). Insiders that own company stock include Caton Frates, Claudine Adamo, Daniel M Hines, James C Klauer, James C Klauer, James P Murphy, Joseph P Portera, Kenneth D Denman, Mary Agnes Wilderotter, Patrick J Callans, Patrick J Callans, Paul G Moulton, Pierre Riel, Richard A Galanti, Roland Michael Vachris, Russell D Miller, Susan L Decker and Timothy L Rose.
View institutional ownership trends
.

How do I buy shares of Costco Wholesale?

Shares of COST stock can be purchased through any online brokerage account. Popular online brokerages with access to the U.S. stock market include WeBull, Vanguard Brokerage Services, TD Ameritrade, E*TRADE, Robinhood, Fidelity, and Charles Schwab.
Compare Top Brokerages Here.

Does Costco Wholesale have any subsidiaries?
The following companies are subsidiares of Costco Wholesale: Costco De Mexico S.A. de C.V., Costco Insurance Agency Inc., Costco President Taiwan Inc., Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd., Costco Wholesale Japan Ltd., Costco Wholesale Korea Ltd., Costco Wholesale Membership Inc., Costco Wholesale United Kingdom Ltd., Innovel Solutions, NW Re Ltd., and PriceCostco International Inc..
Read More
This page (NASDAQ:COST) was last updated on 12/10/2023 by MarketBeat.com Staff

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