Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) Director Sells $437,390.00 in Stock

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) Director Susan Decker sold 458 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $955.00, for a total transaction of $437,390.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 8,532 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $8,148,060. This trade represents a 5.09% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $976.17 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $899.07 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $930.26. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,078.23. The company has a market capitalization of $433.29 billion, a PE ratio of 52.29, a P/E/G ratio of 5.89 and a beta of 1.02.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.27 by $0.07. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 29.35% and a net margin of 2.96%.The firm had revenue of $67.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $67.03 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $4.04 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 30th will be paid a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is 27.85%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Costco Wholesale

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Peterson Wealth Services raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.5% during the second quarter. Peterson Wealth Services now owns 13,616 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $13,479,000 after acquiring an additional 72 shares during the last quarter. Fishman Jay A Ltd. MI increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 3.5% during the 2nd quarter. Fishman Jay A Ltd. MI now owns 16,888 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $16,718,000 after purchasing an additional 575 shares in the last quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 49.3% during the 3rd quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated now owns 3,780 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $3,499,000 after purchasing an additional 1,248 shares in the last quarter. Permanent Capital Management LP acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $874,000. Finally, Wealthspire Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 2.0% in the 2nd quarter. Wealthspire Advisors LLC now owns 15,799 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $15,640,000 after buying an additional 312 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst and outlet bullishness: Several retail pieces highlight Costco’s resilient sales, membership strength and reasons to buy, supporting the stock’s longer-term case. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Operational lift — tech upgrades: Coverage says Costco is adopting competitor-style tech to improve the member experience, which could boost traffic and spend over time. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Local development progress: A draft environmental impact report was issued for a new El Dorado Hills Costco — a step toward store growth that supports long-term revenue and membership expansion. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation debate: Several pieces question whether COST’s premium P/E is justified despite multi-year returns — useful for investors deciding entry points but not an operational red flag. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Services and programs explained: Recent explainers/reviews of Costco’s auto program and partner insurance products highlight ancillary revenue lines that deepen member relationships but have limited immediate stock impact. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Pattern-trade mention: A trading piece lists Costco as a seasonal pattern trade with upside potential (speculative trading interest, not fundamental guidance). Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Bearish commentary: Two Seeking Alpha pieces argue the recent rally may be overextended and that strong early-2026 results could be short-lived, which can prompt profit-taking. Read More. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: Director Susan Decker sold 458 shares (~$955 avg) recently — a small, disclosed sale that some investors interpret negatively for near-term sentiment. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Competitive pressure: Coverage of rival grocery expansion increases the risk of margin or share pressure in some markets over time. Read More.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

COST has been the topic of several analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,025.00 to $1,027.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Truist Financial decreased their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,033.00 to $926.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Mizuho set a $1,000.00 target price on Costco Wholesale and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,225.00 to $1,130.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, September 26th. Twenty-one equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $996.00.

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.