Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) Shares Up 2.1% on Analyst Upgrade

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST)’s share price traded up 2.1% on Wednesday after Northcoast Research upgraded the stock from a neutral rating to a buy rating. Northcoast Research now has a $1,100.00 price target on the stock. Costco Wholesale traded as high as $876.00 and last traded at $872.75. 1,819,503 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 22% from the average session volume of 2,343,427 shares. The stock had previously closed at $854.79.

Other research analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,025.00 to $1,027.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Truist Financial cut their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,033.00 to $926.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Friday, December 12th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, October 9th. Hovde Group initiated coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Tuesday, November 18th. They set a “market perform” rating and a $16.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Raymond James Financial decreased their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,070.00 to $1,000.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Nineteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $992.08.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 2,400 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $930.13, for a total transaction of $2,232,312.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 2,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,860,260. The trade was a 54.55% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 3,381 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, September 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $915.00, for a total transaction of $3,093,615.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 9,740 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,912,100. This trade represents a 25.77% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 9,720 shares of company stock valued at $9,010,257 in the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Northcoast Research upgraded COST from Neutral to Buy and set a $1,100 price target (roughly +26% upside vs. current levels), a direct catalyst for upside by raising institutional conviction. Northcoast upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: Long-form bullish takes argue Costco can be a “multimillionaire-maker” thanks to steady membership renewals, expanding store footprint and resilient consumer demand — messaging that supports a buy-and-hold thesis. Is Costco Stock a Multimillionaire Maker?
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst/commentary pieces and listicles are pitching Costco as a compelling 2026 investment (membership economics, margin resilience, steady comps), reinforcing demand from long-term retail investors. 4 Reasons You Should Invest in Costco Stock in 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s Quality ranking moved higher after a Q1 beat and its public stance on tariff/legal issues — positive signals for fundamentals and investor confidence. Costco Tops Quality Rankings Amid Q1 Beat
• Neutral Sentiment: Holiday-store-hour coverage (Christmas Eve/Day) is driving local traffic/volume questions but is not a material company fundamental change; useful for short-term foot-traffic monitoring. Is Costco open or closed on Christmas Day 2025?
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry comparisons (Walmart vs. Costco) and general retail commentary are circulating; they provide context but not immediate directional pressure on COST. Walmart vs. Costco
• Negative Sentiment: BJ’s Wholesale Club is pursuing a major expansion in Texas, signaling intensifying competition in key markets that could pressure margins or market share in the long run. BJ’s challenges Costco
• Negative Sentiment: Some analysis notes COST has been a “surprising loser” this year despite solid fundamentals, a narrative that can weigh on sentiment and explain profit-taking into the year-end. Where Will Costco Stock Be in 3 Years?

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Costco Wholesale

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in COST. Bulwark Capital Corp acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the second quarter worth $25,000. Soundwatch Capital LLC grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 635.7% in the second quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC now owns 2,553 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 2,206 shares in the last quarter. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the second quarter worth about $31,000. Hurley Capital LLC raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at about $34,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 2.1%

The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $903.64 and its 200-day simple moving average is $940.47. The stock has a market cap of $387.39 billion, a P/E ratio of 46.75, a P/E/G ratio of 5.23 and a beta of 1.00. 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 (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.27 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $67.31 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $67.03 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.96% and a return on equity of 29.35%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $4.04 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 31st were issued a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, October 31st. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is currently 27.85%.

About Costco Wholesale

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.