BTIG Research Reiterates Buy Rating for Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST)

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST)‘s stock had its “buy” rating restated by stock analysts at BTIG Research in a research note issued to investors on Friday,Benzinga reports. They presently have a $1,125.00 price target on the retailer’s stock. BTIG Research’s target price indicates a potential upside of 13.04% from the stock’s previous close.

Several other equities research analysts have also commented on the stock. Gordon Haskett upped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,110.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, April 17th. Rothschild & Co Redburn raised their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 17th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Finally, Raymond James Financial raised their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Twenty-one research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,051.54.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

NASDAQ:COST opened at $995.20 on Friday. Costco Wholesale has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,096.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 1.06. The firm has a market cap of $441.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.75, a PEG ratio of 4.94 and a beta of 0.92. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $1,008.28 and its two-hundred day moving average is $962.53.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.98 by ($0.05). Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The business had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $69.68 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $4.28 earnings per share. Research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale will post 20.33 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction on Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total value of $732,204.60. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This trade represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Costco Wholesale

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Hurley Capital LLC grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares during the period. Finally, Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco reported fiscal Q3 results that topped sales expectations, with revenue of $70.53 billion, same-store sales up 9.8%, and strong demand for essentials and gasoline helping drive traffic. Reuters article
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts remained upbeat after the report, with Morgan Stanley reaffirming an Overweight rating and raising its price target to $1,130, while William Blair kept a Buy rating on Costco’s resilient fundamentals and member-driven growth. Morgan Stanley rating article William Blair rating article
• Positive Sentiment: The company highlighted record-breaking fuel volume and strong digital growth, reinforcing the view that Costco is still taking share from value-conscious consumers. Zacks earnings call article
• Neutral Sentiment: The earnings report was mixed on the bottom line, with EPS of $4.93 slightly missing estimates of $4.98, even as profit rose year over year and revenue beat expectations. MarketBeat earnings report
• Negative Sentiment: Investors are also weighing margin pressure, as higher transportation costs and compressed gross margins may limit near-term upside despite the strong sales trend. Motley Fool article

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.