Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) Now Covered by Analysts at TD Cowen

TD Cowen initiated coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) in a report published on Friday,Zacks reports. The brokerage issued a strong-buy rating on the retailer’s stock.

Several other research analysts have also issued reports on COST. Royal Bank Of Canada restated a “sector perform” rating and issued a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, October 9th. BMO Capital Markets reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, September 25th. Raymond James Financial cut their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,050.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, September 25th. Roth Capital restated a “sell” rating and set a $781.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, September 25th. Finally, Freedom Broker reduced their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,030.00 to $1,010.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, September 25th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-four have given a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,086.19.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of COST stock opened at $1,012.28 on Friday. Costco Wholesale has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,096.50. The stock has a market cap of $448.57 billion, a PE ratio of 48.76, a PEG ratio of 4.26 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 1.06. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $943.31 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $970.25.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its earnings results on Thursday, September 24th. The retailer reported $6.75 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.54 by $0.21. The firm had revenue of $95.72 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $94.97 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.04% and a return on equity of 27.60%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 11.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $5.87 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale will post 22.70 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 30th will be issued a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, October 30th. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 28.32%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,200 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $915.93, for a total transaction of $2,015,046.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 7,134 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,534,244.62. This trade represents a 23.57% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 1,100 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $958.21, for a total transaction of $1,054,031.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 3,094 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,964,701.74. This trade represents a 26.23% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Basso Capital Management L.P. bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth approximately $497,000. Caldwell Trust Co grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.1% in the third quarter. Caldwell Trust Co now owns 16,941 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $15,422,000 after purchasing an additional 349 shares during the last quarter. 3Chopt Investment Partners LLC grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 11.5% in the third quarter. 3Chopt Investment Partners LLC now owns 1,827 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,663,000 after purchasing an additional 188 shares during the last quarter. Trace Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.4% in the third quarter. Trace Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 2,758 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,511,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Compass Financial Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.3% during the third quarter. Compass Financial Management LLC now owns 4,896 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $4,457,000 after purchasing an additional 109 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Store expansion supports long-term growth. Costco plans to open 13 locations by the end of 2026, potentially expanding its membership base and sales footprint. Costco opening 13 locations by end of 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Membership acquisition remains a focus. A promotional offer providing new members with a $45 gift card could help drive sign-ups ahead of the holiday shopping season, supporting recurring membership-fee revenue. Costco membership Black Friday deal
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect continued earnings momentum. Costco’s upcoming fiscal first-quarter 2027 report is expected to show double-digit year-over-year EPS growth. Its latest quarter also beat consensus estimates on both earnings and revenue. What to expect from Costco Wholesale’s next quarterly earnings report
• Positive Sentiment: Customer loyalty and digital engagement remain strengths. Coverage highlights near-record renewal rates, busy warehouses, a younger shopper base and growing use of Costco’s digital channels. These factors reinforce the company’s competitive advantages and long-term sales potential. The New Costco Shopper Is Under 40
• Neutral Sentiment: Healthcare partnerships could deepen member engagement. Integrations with NationsBenefits and SCAN Health Plan are expanding Costco’s role in Medicare-related spending across more than 600 U.S. warehouses, though the financial contribution is not yet clear. Medicare push and Costco investors
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation leaves little room for disappointment. Costco trades at roughly 49 times earnings, making execution and upcoming results especially important. Analysts remain positive, but the stock’s premium valuation could amplify downside if growth slows. Costco stock’s long-term competitive advantages

Costco Wholesale Company Profile

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a membership-based warehouse retail business under the Costco name. The company sells merchandise in bulk and at competitive prices through warehouse clubs and e-commerce platforms, serving individual consumers, businesses and other organizations.

Its product selection includes groceries and fresh foods, household supplies, appliances, electronics, furniture, apparel, health and beauty products, jewelry, automotive products and prescription drugs. Costco also provides services such as optical care, pharmacy services, hearing-aid sales, travel offerings and fuel sales, depending on location.

The company traces its roots to Price Club, which opened in San Diego in 1976.