Key Points
- Susan Decker sold 458 shares on January 16 at an average price of $955, generating about $437,390 and reducing her stake by 5.09% to 8,532 shares (≈$8.15M).
- Costco beat quarterly estimates with $4.34 EPS versus $4.27 expected and revenue of $67.31B (up 8.3% year-over-year), while carrying a market cap near $428B.
- The company declared a quarterly dividend of $1.30 (annualized $5.20, yield ~0.5%, ex-dividend Jan 30), and analysts have a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target around $996.
Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) Director Susan Decker sold 458 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $955.00, for a total transaction of $437,390.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 8,532 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $8,148,060. This represents a 5.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link.
Costco Wholesale Price Performance
Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $964.26 on Wednesday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,078.23. The stock has a market capitalization of $428.01 billion, a P/E ratio of 51.65, a P/E/G ratio of 5.77 and a beta of 1.02. The company's 50-day moving average is $896.67 and its 200 day moving average is $929.57. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 1.04 and a quick ratio of 0.53.
Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.27 by $0.07. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 29.35% and a net margin of 2.96%.The business had revenue of $67.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $67.03 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $4.04 EPS. The business's revenue was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current year.
Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 30th will be given a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is currently 27.85%.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Costco Wholesale
A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Ridgewood Investments LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 7.4% during the 2nd quarter. Ridgewood Investments LLC now owns 159 shares of the retailer's stock worth $157,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Wagner Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 3.4% during the 2nd quarter. Wagner Wealth Management LLC now owns 330 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $326,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 4.4% during the 2nd quarter. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC now owns 262 shares of the retailer's stock worth $259,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the period. Graney & King LLC boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 6.8% in the second quarter. Graney & King LLC now owns 173 shares of the retailer's stock worth $171,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Seneschal Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.4% in the second quarter. Seneschal Advisors LLC now owns 3,142 shares of the retailer's stock worth $3,110,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several research firms have commented on COST. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $1,044.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Sanford C. Bernstein upped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,134.00 to $1,146.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Truist Financial cut their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,033.00 to $926.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, December 12th. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed an "outperform" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Finally, Mizuho set a $1,000.00 target price on Costco Wholesale and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Twenty-one analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $996.00.
View Our Latest Research Report on Costco Wholesale
Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale
Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Warehouse expansion and faster new-store ramp-ups signal durable growth runway and better utilization of sites, supporting long-term sales and membership gains. Costco's Warehouse Expansion Strategy Fuels Long-Term Growth
- Positive Sentiment: Retail sales momentum: December sales came in strong and helped extend a recent rally — reinforces resilient traffic and membership trends that drive recurring revenue. Costco Stock Rallies on December Sales
- Positive Sentiment: Card benefits improved: Costco has quietly boosted gas rewards for co-branded cardholders (to 5% at Costco pumps), a member incentive likely to help retention and spend. Costco quietly boosts gas rewards for branded credit card holders
- Neutral Sentiment: Analyst/visitor pieces highlight Costco as a durable long-term holding (strong member loyalty, steady comps) but flag a high valuation and moderate growth that may limit near-term upside from current levels. Useful for long-term investors evaluating entry price. Is Costco Stock a Long-Term Buy for Everyday Investors?
- Neutral Sentiment: Brand/supplier shift: Costco is switching its food-court beverage supplier back to Coca‑Cola after a decade with Pepsi — a merchandising/partnership change with limited near-term financial impact but some margin/brand implications. Costco Switches Food Court Back to Coke After Decade With Pepsi
- Negative Sentiment: Insider sale: Director Susan L. Decker sold 458 shares (~$955 avg), reducing her stake — a small disclosed sale that some investors view negatively as timing/insight into valuation. Susan L. Decker Insider Sale
- Negative Sentiment: Competitive pressure: Coverage notes a large grocery rival launching an expansion push — increased competition could pressure share gains or margins in some markets over time. Huge Costco grocery rival launches expansion plans
About Costco Wholesale
(
Get Free Report)
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.
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