Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) Given New $1,194.00 Price Target at Sanford C. Bernstein

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) had its target price boosted by stock analysts at Sanford C. Bernstein from $1,192.00 to $1,194.00 in a research note issued to investors on Friday,MarketScreener reports. The firm presently has an “outperform” rating on the retailer’s stock. Sanford C. Bernstein’s price target would suggest a potential upside of 24.97% from the company’s previous close.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently commented on the stock. Gordon Haskett raised their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Roth Mkm lifted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a report on Friday. UBS Group boosted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 20th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $1,050.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, TD Cowen reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Twenty-one equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,055.79.

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 4.0%

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock traded down $39.76 during trading on Friday, hitting $955.44. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 1,356,024 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,104,118. The stock has a market cap of $423.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 49.77, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.94 and a beta of 0.92. Costco Wholesale has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,096.50. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $1,008.28 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $962.53. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.59.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.98 by ($0.05). The company had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $69.68 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $4.28 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale will post 20.33 EPS for the current fiscal 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 sale, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Costco Wholesale

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of COST. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 0.4% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 43,620,717 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $37,615,889,000 after acquiring an additional 165,349 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 10,388,519 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $8,919,573,000 after purchasing an additional 26,690 shares during the period. Morgan Stanley increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 9,523,423 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $8,212,433,000 after purchasing an additional 107,775 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 11.5% during the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 7,515,031 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $7,488,203,000 after purchasing an additional 773,651 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Diamant Asset Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 99,278.0% during the 1st quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. now owns 6,726,899 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $672,690,000 after purchasing an additional 6,720,130 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors 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: Costco reported stronger-than-expected sales, with revenue of $70.53 billion versus estimates of $69.68 billion, and U.S. same-store sales rising 9.8%, showing that value-focused shoppers are still spending. Reuters article
• Positive Sentiment: Fuel demand was a standout driver, with Costco’s gas stations setting record volumes as drivers chased lower prices, adding an extra boost to traffic and sales. MarketWatch article
• Positive Sentiment: Digital demand and membership strength continue to support the long-term thesis, with multiple articles highlighting surging e-commerce activity and resilient member-driven growth. TipRanks article
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts remained bullish after the report, with BTIG and Morgan Stanley reaffirming positive ratings and raising price targets to $1,125 and $1,130, respectively. TipRanks article
• Neutral Sentiment: EPS came in at $4.93, slightly below the $4.98 consensus, so margin pressure remains a concern even as top-line momentum stays strong. MarketBeat earnings report
• Negative Sentiment: Gross margin and transportation costs are still pressuring profitability, which is why some commentary described the quarter as “mixed” despite the sales beat. Motley Fool article

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.