Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) has been given an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the thirty-three research firms that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, thirteen have given a hold recommendation and nineteen have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 1 year price target among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $992.08.

COST has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Roth Capital set a $769.00 target price on Costco Wholesale and gave the company a “sell” rating in a report on Monday, December 15th. Robert W. Baird reduced their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,000.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $900.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 19th. Evercore ISI lowered their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,025.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, September 26th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $1,100.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Telsey Advisory Group reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $1,100 price target on COST, signaling material upside vs. current levels and giving investors a bullish anchor. Benzinga
• Positive Sentiment: MarketBeat includes Costco among five high‑quality stocks to own in 2026, highlighting Costco’s “premium defensive” positioning, steady membership income, and mid‑teens historical EPS compounding—support for longer‑term investor demand. Beyond the Santa Claus Rally—5 Quality Stocks to Buy in 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Local expansion: Costco is taking steps to open two new Ontario locations, which supports longer‑run membership and sales growth in Canada. Costco takes steps to open two new locations in Ontario
• Neutral Sentiment: Consumer‑facing coverage (holiday hours, product roundups, “3 things to know” pieces) reminds retail customers and investors of Costco’s brand strength but is unlikely to move the stock materially on its own. 3 Things to Know About Costco Stock Before You Buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Practical holiday coverage (e.g., New Year’s Day hours) and product arrival lists attract shoppers but are not catalysts for the stock. Is Costco open or closed on New Year’s Day 2026?
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts expect December comps to slow (consensus ~2.2% same‑store sales), and a December sales update due Jan. 7 could confirm softer near‑term trends—this is the primary immediate downside risk for the stock. Is Costco Cooling Off? Why December Sales Growth Might Look Slower
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: EVP Javier Polit sold significant blocks of shares in late‑December (SEC Form 4 filings), which can weigh on sentiment because investors sometimes read large insider sales as profit taking. SEC Form 4 – Javier Polit
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation sensitivity: COST trades at an elevated multiple (P/E mid‑40s), so the stock is vulnerable to downside if growth decelerates or macro conditions deteriorate. Market data & valuation
• Negative Sentiment: Operational/shrink risk: recent reports of cargo thefts tied to food shipments underscore logistics exposures that could add cost or cause isolated supply disruptions. Oysters, crab and $400,000 worth of lobster meat stolen in New England

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,700 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $935.68, for a total value of $2,526,336.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,851 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,410,343.68. The trade was a 28.27% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, insider Tiffany Marie Barbre sold 1,239 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $934.62, for a total value of $1,157,994.18. Following the transaction, the insider owned 5,155 shares in the company, valued at $4,817,966.10. The trade was a 19.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last three months, insiders have sold 8,946 shares of company stock valued at $8,175,048. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Costco Wholesale

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of COST. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.7% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 43,356,271 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $42,920,107,000 after purchasing an additional 711,560 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.5% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 18,325,416 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $18,141,062,000 after purchasing an additional 90,107 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.5% during the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 10,275,056 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $10,124,263,000 after acquiring an additional 150,844 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 2nd quarter worth about $5,692,035,000. Finally, Invesco Ltd. grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 9.8% during the 2nd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,291,557 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $4,248,384,000 after buying an additional 383,887 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 0.9%

Shares of COST opened at $854.50 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $379.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 45.77, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.12 and a beta of 1.02. 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 $1,078.23. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $894.79 and its 200 day simple moving average is $934.60.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping 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 company had revenue of $67.31 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $67.03 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $4.04 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

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

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.