Key Points
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Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) EVP Russell Miller sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, January 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $916.32, for a total value of $1,374,480.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 8,240 shares of the company's stock, valued at $7,550,476.80. This represents a 15.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website.
Costco Wholesale Stock Up 2.0%
Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $943.08 on Tuesday. The company's fifty day moving average is $892.88 and its 200-day moving average is $930.80. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a current ratio of 1.04. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,078.23. The company has a market capitalization of $418.60 billion, a PE ratio of 50.51, a P/E/G ratio of 5.54 and a beta of 1.02.
Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.27 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $67.31 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $67.03 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.96% and a return on equity of 29.35%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $4.04 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 14th. Stockholders of record on Friday, October 31st were issued a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, October 31st. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is presently 27.85%.
Costco Wholesale News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Mizuho upgrade — Mizuho moved COST to its top-picks list and upgraded the stock to Outperform, raising its price target (cited as $1,000 in coverage), which supports buying interest from institutional and retail investors. Costco (COST) Added to Mizuho Top Picks After Pullback
- Positive Sentiment: Sales acceleration — Recent reporting highlights that two key Costco sales metrics have accelerated, a development investors like because it points to continued membership spending and top-line momentum. 2 Key Costco Sales Metrics Just Accelerated, and Investors Love It
- Positive Sentiment: Card perk added — Costco quietly added a meaningful credit-card perk, which can boost transaction volume and member loyalty (positive for same-store sales and margins over time). Costco quietly added a major credit card perk
- Positive Sentiment: Ongoing expansion — Multiple local reports show new warehouse builds and store openings (e.g., Camarillo construction visible; plans in South Los Angeles and Dallas), underscoring continued footprint growth that supports revenue and membership expansion. Costco Camarillo warehouse and gas station construction now visible at site
- Neutral Sentiment: Long-term analyst/features — Several opinion pieces and comparative write-ups (Where Will Costco Be in 5 Years?; Costco vs. Home Depot) reiterate Costco’s strong long-term track record but do not introduce new catalysts. These items support the bull case but are not immediate drivers. Where Will Costco Be in 5 Years?
- Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data glitch — A report flagged a “significant increase” in short interest but shows zero shares and a zero days-to-cover figure, indicating a likely data error rather than a market pressure signal. Investors should treat short-interest headlines cautiously until clarified. (Data source: market summary)
- Negative Sentiment: Insider sale — EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares (disclosed SEC Form 4), reducing his holding by ~15.4% in that transaction; insider sales can be read negatively by some investors even when small relative to total holdings. SEC filing — Form 4 (Russell D. Miller)
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
Several equities analysts have issued reports on the company. Daiwa Capital Markets cut their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $947.00 to $917.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. UBS Group restated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Raymond James Financial cut their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,070.00 to $1,000.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Friday, December 12th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, October 9th. Finally, Cowen restated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Twenty-one research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $996.00.
Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Costco Wholesale
Institutional Trading of Costco Wholesale
Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Peterson Wealth Services raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.5% in the second quarter. Peterson Wealth Services now owns 13,616 shares of the retailer's stock worth $13,479,000 after purchasing an additional 72 shares during the last quarter. Fishman Jay A Ltd. MI increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 3.5% during the second quarter. Fishman Jay A Ltd. MI now owns 16,888 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $16,718,000 after acquiring an additional 575 shares during the last quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 49.3% during the 3rd quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated now owns 3,780 shares of the retailer's stock worth $3,499,000 after purchasing an additional 1,248 shares during the period. Permanent Capital Management LP purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth about $874,000. Finally, Wealthspire Advisors LLC raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 2.0% in the second quarter. Wealthspire Advisors LLC now owns 15,799 shares of the retailer's stock worth $15,640,000 after acquiring an additional 312 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
About Costco Wholesale
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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.
Further Reading
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