Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) Given Outperform Rating at Telsey Advisory Group

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST)‘s stock had its “outperform” rating restated by analysts at Telsey Advisory Group in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. They presently have a $1,125.00 price objective on the retailer’s stock. Telsey Advisory Group’s price target indicates a potential upside of 12.89% from the company’s current price.

Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Evercore set a $1,100.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Bank of America began coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, February 27th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $1,185.00 target price for the company. Daiwa Securities Group upped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 10th. TD Cowen reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Truist Financial raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $926.00 to $977.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,039.13.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $996.58 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $442.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.82, a PEG ratio of 4.86 and a beta of 1.00. Costco Wholesale has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,067.08. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 1.06. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $987.35 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $939.08.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The company 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%. Costco Wholesale’s quarterly revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $4.02 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Costco Wholesale will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of Costco Wholesale 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 transaction, 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 transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Susan L. Decker sold 458 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $955.00, for a total transaction of $437,390.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 8,532 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,148,060. This represents a 5.09% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold a total of 5,038 shares of company stock valued at $4,790,896 in the last three months. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Costco Wholesale

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Hurley Capital LLC increased its position in Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Finally, Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. 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 is preparing to open its first stand‑alone gas station to members — a rollout aimed at easing congestion at existing warehouses and expanding fuel access without adding in‑store traffic bottlenecks; this could boost fuel volume and member convenience over time. Costco Will Soon Open Its First Stand-Alone Gas Station
• Positive Sentiment: New checkout/automated pay technology being tested cuts payment time to roughly 8–10 seconds, which can raise throughput, improve customer experience, and lower labor cost per transaction if rolled out broadly. Faster in‑store turns support higher sales per visit. Costco’s new checkout technology cuts payment time down to 8 seconds
• Positive Sentiment: Costco plans aggressive unit growth (Zacks notes ~28 new warehouses in FY26 and >30 annually thereafter) and is expanding business centres in Canada — capacity growth that supports long‑run membership and sales expansion. Expansion also increases fuel and ancillary sales opportunities. Costco’s Warehouse Expansion Plans
• Positive Sentiment: Market commentary highlights that rising gas prices can benefit membership clubs: fuel acts as a “loss leader” that drives store traffic and membership renewals — a dynamic supporting Costco’s retention and comp sales in higher‑fuel environments. Surprising Beneficiaries of High Gas Prices: BJs and Costco
• Neutral Sentiment: Technical/analyst notes are constructive (IBD bullish patterns, recent upgrades), which can attract momentum buyers even as valuation remains rich; watch price targets and volume for follow‑through. Costco, IBD’s Stock Of The Day
• Negative Sentiment: A lawsuit alleges Costco raised store prices then sought tariff refunds from the government — legal and reputational risk that could draw regulatory scrutiny or distraction if the case escalates. Monitor developments for litigation costs or settlements. Costco sued over claims it raised prices
• Negative Sentiment: Competitive pressure: analysis suggests Walmart/Sam’s Club is leveraging e‑commerce and advertising to gain share — a long‑term competitive headwind that could pressure margins if Costco needs to invest more in omnichannel capabilities. The Zacks Analyst Blog: Walmart and Costco

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.