Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) Trading Down 1.9% – Here’s Why

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) was down 1.9% on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $900.25 and last traded at $901.35. 2,184,042 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 1% from the average daily volume of 2,171,365 shares. The stock had previously closed at $918.91.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: E-commerce remains a growth driver. Costco’s digital sales rose 17.9% in August and 20.9% during fiscal 2026, supporting the company’s growth outlook and showing that its online business is gaining traction. Costco’s E-commerce Momentum Keeps Its Growth Engine Running
• Positive Sentiment: Tariff refunds may cushion gross-margin pressure. RBC expects higher fuel costs to weigh on Costco’s core gross margin in the fiscal fourth quarter, but potential tariff refunds could partly offset the impact. Costco Gross Margin Pressure From Higher Fuel Costs Likely to be Offset by Tariff Refunds, RBC Says
• Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on the upcoming earnings report. Costco is scheduled to report fiscal fourth-quarter results later this month, making sales trends, margins, membership metrics, and management’s outlook key near-term catalysts. Should You Buy Costco Stock Before Sept. 24?
• Negative Sentiment: Higher fuel and commodity costs are raising margin concerns. Surging oil prices have forced Costco to sharply increase prices on Kirkland and Mobil 1 motor oil while limiting purchases. Although the measures may protect product margins and manage shortages, they highlight supply-chain inflation and could frustrate members. Costco hikes motor oil prices and puts limits on how much members can buy
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation leaves less room for disappointment. With a P/E ratio above 45, investors may be especially sensitive to weaker margins or a cautious outlook. Costco’s recent underperformance versus the broader market adds to concerns about its premium valuation. 2 Reasons to Watch COST and 1 to Stay Cautious

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have commented on the company. TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating and issued a $1,175.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Roth Capital boosted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $1,091.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, September 4th. UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 20th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,056.03.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $939.46 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $973.86. The stock has a market cap of $399.73 billion, a P/E ratio of 45.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.77 and a beta of 0.86.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th were paid a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 24th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is presently 29.58%.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth Denman sold 885 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 4,779 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,575,653.55. This trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Costco Wholesale

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 10,388,519 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $8,919,573,000 after acquiring an additional 26,690 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 11.5% during the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 7,515,031 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $7,488,203,000 after purchasing an additional 773,651 shares in the last quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 99,278.0% in the first quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. now owns 6,726,899 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $672,690,000 after purchasing an additional 6,720,130 shares during the period. Corient Private Wealth LLC lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 838.9% in the fourth quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 6,125,405 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $5,282,182,000 after purchasing an additional 5,472,968 shares during the period. Finally, Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $5,195,415,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

About Costco Wholesale

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates membership-based warehouse clubs that offer a broad selection of merchandise at generally competitive prices. Its product range includes groceries, fresh foods, apparel, appliances, electronics, furniture, jewelry, hardware, and seasonal goods, along with private-label products sold under the Kirkland Signature brand.

The company also provides a variety of ancillary services, including gasoline stations, pharmacies, optical centers, hearing-aid centers, food courts, tire centers, and travel services.