Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) Given Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) has earned an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the thirty-six analysts that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, thirteen have assigned a hold recommendation and twenty-two have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price target among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $1,016.1786.

COST has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $1,155.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Gordon Haskett lifted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Oppenheimer upped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Hovde Group assumed coverage on Costco Wholesale in a report on Tuesday, November 18th. They issued a “market perform” rating and a $16.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Guggenheim restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, December 22nd.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

NASDAQ:COST opened at $1,010.79 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. Costco Wholesale has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,067.08. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $948.16 and its 200-day moving average price is $934.65. The stock has a market capitalization of $448.66 billion, a PE ratio of 54.14, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.11 and a beta of 1.00.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.27 by $0.07. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 29.35% and a net margin of 2.96%.The company had revenue of $67.31 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $67.03 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $4.04 EPS. Costco Wholesale’s quarterly revenue was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts expect that Costco Wholesale will post 18.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 30th were paid a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is 27.85%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $939.00, for a total value of $1,408,500.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 44,837 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $42,101,943. This trade represents a 3.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $916.32, for a total transaction of $1,374,480.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 8,240 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,550,476.80. This represents a 15.40% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last three months, insiders sold 6,915 shares of company stock valued at $6,317,097. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Costco Wholesale

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Soundwatch Capital LLC raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 635.7% during the second quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC now owns 2,553 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 2,206 shares during the period. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 2nd quarter valued at $31,000. Hurley Capital LLC grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares during the period. Finally, Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $31,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect solid Q2 results (consensus ~ $4.55 EPS on ~$69.25B revenue) and Street sentiment is bullish, which underpins the recent rally and investor optimism. Should You Buy Costco Stock Before Thursday’s Q2 Earnings Report?
• Positive Sentiment: Bank of America reinstated coverage with a Buy and a $1,185 price target, citing pricing power and strong customer loyalty — a high-profile analyst endorsement that can support further upside. Costco (COST) Gains Buy Rating From BofA on Strength of Pricing and Customer Loyalty
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is pursuing membership growth and opening new warehouses selectively; management’s focus on renewals and membership revenue remains a structural earnings driver. Costco banks on membership growth to drive dividend payout
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is among >1,800 companies pursuing tariff-refund lawsuits after recent Supreme Court rulings; a favorable outcome could produce material cash inflows or lower future import costs. Costco Tariff Lawsuits Could Reshape Costs And Cash For Members
• Neutral Sentiment: Street coverage and retail previews (Zacks, Barron’s, TipRanks) highlight Costco as a key data point in a busy retail earnings week — results could move the stock but are likely to be interpreted in the context of peers. Is Costco Stock (COST) a Buy Ahead of Q2 Earnings?
• Neutral Sentiment: Bank of America starting/renewing research coverage increases liquidity in analyst dialogue but doesn’t guarantee near-term price moves; treat as visibility improvement. Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) Research Coverage Started at Bank of America
• Negative Sentiment: Geopolitical shocks (recent US/Israel actions on Iran) have pushed risk-off flows and pressured futures — broader market weakness could cap Costco’s upside even if company results meet expectations. Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq futures plunge while oil prices surge as Iran conflict jolts markets

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.