JPMorgan Chase & Co. Issues Positive Forecast for Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) Stock Price

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) had its price objective boosted by investment analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $1,000.00 to $1,050.00 in a note issued to investors on Monday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an “overweight” rating on the retailer’s stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co.‘s target price would indicate a potential upside of 5.27% from the company’s current price.

Several other research analysts have also commented on COST. Hovde Group began coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Tuesday, November 18th. They issued a “market perform” rating and a $16.00 price target for the company. HSBC cut their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,045.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 12th. TD Cowen reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $1,044.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, UBS Group reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Twenty-one investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,007.42.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:COST traded down $3.75 during midday trading on Monday, hitting $997.42. The stock had a trading volume of 1,232,701 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,690,017. The company has a market capitalization of $442.72 billion, a PE ratio of 53.40, a P/E/G ratio of 5.28 and a beta of 1.01. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $914.61 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $930.44. Costco Wholesale has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,078.23. The company has a current ratio of 1.04, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.27 by $0.07. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.96% and a return on equity of 29.35%. The business had revenue of $67.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $67.03 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $4.04 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts predict that Costco Wholesale will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $916.32, for a total value of $1,374,480.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 8,240 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,550,476.80. This trade represents a 15.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Susan L. Decker sold 458 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction on Friday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $955.00, for a total value of $437,390.00. Following the sale, the director owned 8,532 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,148,060. This trade represents a 5.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 6,915 shares of company stock worth $6,317,097 over the last three months. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Costco Wholesale

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Peterson Wealth Services lifted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.5% during the 2nd quarter. Peterson Wealth Services now owns 13,616 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $13,479,000 after buying an additional 72 shares during the last quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 49.3% in the third quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated now owns 3,780 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,499,000 after acquiring an additional 1,248 shares during the last quarter. Permanent Capital Management LP acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $874,000. Wealthspire Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.0% during the second quarter. Wealthspire Advisors LLC now owns 15,799 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $15,640,000 after buying an additional 312 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.7% in the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 43,356,271 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $42,920,107,000 after purchasing an additional 711,560 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: January sales strength and member traffic are cited as fueling momentum for a bigger 2026 rally — supports revenue leverage and same?store sales growth. Is Costco’s January Sales Surge Fueling a Bigger 2026 Rally?
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is expanding Instacart in Europe, extending its e?commerce reach — a strategic revenue/traffic driver outside the U.S. Costco Expands Instacart In Europe As Valuation Stays Above Fair Value
• Positive Sentiment: Management’s international growth plan (reportedly ~20 stores in Australia) underlines long?run expansion optionality and market share gains in under?penetrated regions. “It’s mind?blowing”: Can anyone compete with Costco’s 20?store plan?
• Positive Sentiment: A recent analyst upgrade briefly pushed the stock higher (intraday trading up ~1.2%), showing sensitivity to analyst signals and potential for momentum from upgrades. Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) Trading Up 1.2% After Analyst Upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: RFG Advisory increased its stake modestly, signaling some institutional buying interest. Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Purchased by RFG Advisory LLC
• Neutral Sentiment: Consumer buzz remains high (product finds and in?warehouse draws), supporting brand strength but not an immediate earnings driver. 7 New Costco Finds Everyone Is Talking About This February
• Neutral Sentiment: DA Davidson reiterated a “Neutral” rating — keeps analyst sentiment mixed and may limit upside until clearer catalysts appear. Costco Wholesale’s (COST) “Neutral” Rating Reiterated at DA Davidson
• Negative Sentiment: Several pieces flag valuation risk after a ~15% YTD run: high P/E and a PEG that may leave the stock vulnerable to profit?taking if growth disappoints. That appears to be the main near?term drag on the share price. Costco Stock Is Up 15% This Year. Time to Buy?

Costco Wholesale Company Profile

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.