Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Raymond James Financial Analyst Says

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) had its target price hoisted by equities researchers at Raymond James Financial from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a report released on Friday,MarketScreener reports. The brokerage currently has an “outperform” rating on the retailer’s stock. Raymond James Financial’s target price suggests a potential upside of 12.47% from the stock’s previous close.

Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $1,044.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Hovde Group assumed coverage on Costco Wholesale in a report on Tuesday, November 18th. They issued a “market perform” rating and a $16.00 target price for the company. Oppenheimer lifted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,218.00 to $1,171.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, December 12th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,020.90.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ:COST opened at $978.00 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $959.15 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $935.92. The firm has a market capitalization of $434.10 billion, a PE ratio of 52.38, a P/E/G ratio of 4.81 and a beta of 1.01. 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 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,067.08.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.96% and a return on equity of 29.35%. The company had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $4.02 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale will post 18.03 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 14th. The stock was 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 owned 44,837 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $42,101,943. This trade represents a 3.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director Susan L. Decker sold 458 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $955.00, for a total transaction of $437,390.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 8,532 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $8,148,060. This trade represents a 5.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold a total of 6,915 shares of company stock valued at $6,317,097 in the last 90 days. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Costco Wholesale

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of COST. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the second quarter worth about $31,000. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. Hurley Capital LLC increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the third 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, Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth about $31,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 results beat or matched expectations: EPS $4.58 and revenue ~$69.6B with comparable-store sales strength, rising membership fees and improved margins — evidence the membership model and holiday demand held up. Costco beats quarterly comparable sales estimates (Reuters)
• Positive Sentiment: Digital and cash metrics look strong: digital sales rose ~22.6% and the company reported higher operating cash and a larger cash balance — positive for growth optionality and buyback/capex flexibility. Costco digital innovations fuel online growth (PYMNTS)
• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street support remains mixed but includes bullish convictions — BTIG reaffirmed a Buy with a $1,115 target (much higher than the current price), showing some analysts remain constructive on upside. BTIG reaffirms Buy on Costco (Benzinga)
• Neutral Sentiment: Store expansion continues: new locations (reports on Viva White Oak and Port St. Lucie) signal ongoing capital deployment and footprint growth, a long‑term growth driver but not an immediate stock catalyst. Costco coming to Viva White Oak (Yahoo)
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction cooled the stock: several outlets note COST slipped in after‑hours/pre‑market trading despite the beat — investors appear to be taking profits after recent gains or reacting to mixed signals in the print. Stock falls pre-market despite strong earnings (Blockonomi)
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst nuance: Truist raised its price target to $977 but kept a “Hold” rating — the new target sits below recent trade, signaling some analysts view the stock as fairly valued and may cap near-term upside. Truist raises price target to $977 (Benzinga)
• Negative Sentiment: Other headwinds: notable insider selling and mixed institutional repositioning were reported around the quarter, and broader market pressure from an oil-driven futures drop is weighing on retail names today. QuiverQuant summary: earnings, insider/institutional activity

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.