Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) Given New $977.00 Price Target at Truist Financial

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) had its target price upped by Truist Financial from $926.00 to $977.00 in a report published on Friday morning,Benzinga reports. They currently have a hold rating on the retailer’s stock.

COST has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Northcoast Research set a $1,100.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 24th. Oppenheimer upped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Bank of America assumed coverage on Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, February 27th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $1,185.00 target price on the stock. Rothschild & Co Redburn lifted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,035.35.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 1.6%

Shares of NASDAQ COST traded up $15.53 during trading on Friday, hitting $998.10. 2,706,109 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,972,194. The firm has a market capitalization of $443.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.90, a P/E/G ratio of 4.70 and a beta of 1.01. The business’s fifty day moving average is $961.64 and its 200 day moving average is $936.05. 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 has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,067.08.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 29.37% and a net margin of 2.99%.The company had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $4.02 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 30th were issued 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 was Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 27.04%.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total transaction of $838,321.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 4,228 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,169,907.28. This represents a 16.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $939.00, for a total value of $1,408,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 44,837 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $42,101,943. The trade was a 3.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 6,915 shares of company stock valued at $6,317,097 over the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Costco Wholesale

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Union Savings Bank bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at about $2,040,000. Cedarwood Wealth LLC bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth about $323,000. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. Worthington Financial Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $1,173,000. Finally, Bayban purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $347,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 double?beat — Costco reported revenue of ~$69.6B and GAAP EPS of $4.58, with comp?store strength and membership fee growth that underpin near?term sales momentum. This is the main catalyst supporting the rally. Costco Wholesale beats quarterly comparable sales estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades and higher price targets — several brokers (notably a large Street high by BMO cited in coverage) raised targets and reiterated outperform/overweight views, adding upward pressure. Costco Stock Scores New Street?High Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Capital returns & balance?sheet strength — commentary and notes on buybacks, a rising cash pile and the “special dividend” thesis are attracting income/return?focused investors and support further upside. Costco Wholesale: Buy Now, Get Paid Later as Cash and Returns Build
• Positive Sentiment: Digital and membership momentum — online sales growth (~22.6%) and rising membership income are cited on the call as durable drivers of mix and margins, supporting investor confidence. Costco Digital Innovations Fuel 22.6% Online Growth
• Neutral Sentiment: Mixed analyst moves — while many raised targets, a few (e.g., Goldman) trimmed targets even as they kept buy calls; that creates a mix of conviction levels among institutional holders. Goldman Sachs adjusts price target on Costco
• Neutral Sentiment: Muted market reaction — despite the beat, some headlines note a tepid price move (and some pre?market weakness) as investors weigh valuation metrics versus growth. That can lead to intraday volatility. Costco Stock Exhibits Muted Reaction Amid Double?Beat Earnings Report
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation concerns and “red flags” narrative — some outlets argue the stock is expensive (high P/E, PEG) and list risks that could cap upside; those narratives are pressuring more value?sensitive investors. Is Costco Too Expensive? 3 Red Flags That Could Send Shares Sliding

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.