Insider Selling: Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) EVP Sells $1,054,031.00 in Stock

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 1,100 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $958.21, for a total transaction of $1,054,031.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 3,094 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,964,701.74. The trade was a 26.23% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $989.11 on Friday. The company’s fifty day moving average is $933.15 and its two-hundred day moving average is $963.28. The company has a market cap of $438.30 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.64, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.18 and a beta of 0.88. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,096.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, September 24th. The retailer reported $6.75 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.54 by $0.21. The business had revenue of $95.72 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $94.97 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 27.60% and a net margin of 3.04%. Costco Wholesale’s revenue was up 11.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $5.87 earnings per share. Equities analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 22.70 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Investors of record on Friday, October 30th will be given a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, October 30th. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is presently 28.32%.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: September sales accelerated: Costco reported September net sales of $30.02 billion, up 13% year over year, while digitally enabled sales increased 19%. The results reinforce the strength of Costco’s membership model, e-commerce business and value-focused offering. September Sales Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support remains strong: Tigress Financial reiterated a Buy rating while setting a $1,065 price target after previously publicizing a higher $1,250 target. Other coverage highlights Costco’s sales growth, membership loyalty and digital gains, supporting the recent recovery above key moving averages. Tigress Financial Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend maintained: Costco declared a quarterly dividend of $1.47 per share, payable November 13 to shareholders of record October 30. While the approximately 0.6% yield is modest, the payment signals continued cash-flow strength. Costco Dividend Announcement
• Positive Sentiment: Expansion pipeline: Proposed warehouse projects in Macon and Oakland, along with a planned Merced County relocation, point to continued investment in Costco’s store network. Infrastructure financing of up to $30 million could support the Macon development. Macon Costco Project
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco’s fiscal 2027 executive bonus plan adds sustainability-related measures. The change may support long-term operational goals, but it is unlikely to materially affect near-term earnings. Costco Executive Bonus Update
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and macro risks remain: Costco trades at a high earnings multiple, leaving the stock vulnerable if growth or membership trends slow. Persistent inflation and potentially higher interest rates could also pressure consumer spending and market valuations.
• Negative Sentiment: An executive sold 1,100 shares worth approximately $1.05 million. The transaction is relatively small compared with Costco’s market value, but it may add a modest cautionary signal for investors. Costco Insider Sale

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have commented on COST shares. Sanford C. Bernstein decreased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,144.00 to $1,143.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Argus reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $1,230.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, September 28th. Roth Capital reiterated a “sell” rating and issued a $781.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, September 25th. BTIG Research reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $1,125.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Wednesday, September 23rd. Finally, Guggenheim reissued a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, September 28th. Twenty-four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,087.40.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Costco Wholesale

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Sarasin & Partners LLP raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 6.9% during the second quarter. Sarasin & Partners LLP now owns 214,194 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $200,372,000 after acquiring an additional 13,795 shares in the last quarter. Nissay Asset Management Corp Japan lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 4.1% in the second quarter. Nissay Asset Management Corp Japan now owns 158,416 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $148,193,000 after acquiring an additional 6,200 shares during the last quarter. Silvant Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the second quarter valued at approximately $16,013,000. Hyperion Asset Management Ltd lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 9.0% in the second quarter. Hyperion Asset Management Ltd now owns 68,762 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $64,325,000 after acquiring an additional 5,656 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 15.0% in the second quarter. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC now owns 22,766 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $21,297,000 after acquiring an additional 2,974 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Costco Wholesale

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a membership-based warehouse retail business under the Costco name. The company sells a broad selection of merchandise, including groceries, fresh foods, beverages, appliances, electronics, furniture, apparel, jewelry, hardware, and seasonal products. It also offers services such as gasoline, pharmacies, optical departments, hearing-aid centers, food courts, travel services, and business delivery in selected markets.

Costco markets many products under its private-label Kirkland Signature brand and sells merchandise through warehouse locations and e-commerce platforms.