Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) Trading 1.5% Higher on Analyst Upgrade

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) shares shot up 1.5% during trading on Tuesday after Mizuho upgraded the stock from a hold rating to an outperform rating. Mizuho now has a $1,000.00 price target on the stock, up from their previous price target of $950.00. Costco Wholesale traded as high as $894.08 and last traded at $889.10. 2,715,740 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 3% from the average session volume of 2,630,770 shares. The stock had previously closed at $875.74.

Several other equities analysts also recently commented on COST. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $900.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 19th. Oppenheimer dropped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,130.00 to $1,050.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, November 3rd. Robert W. Baird cut their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,000.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Raymond James Financial decreased their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,070.00 to $1,000.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Finally, Morgan Stanley dropped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,225.00 to $1,130.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, September 26th. Twenty equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $994.08.

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Tiffany Marie Barbre sold 1,239 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $934.62, for a total transaction of $1,157,994.18. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 5,155 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,817,966.10. This trade represents a 19.38% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,700 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, October 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $935.68, for a total transaction of $2,526,336.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 6,851 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,410,343.68. The trade was a 28.27% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 8,946 shares of company stock worth $8,175,048 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Mizuho upgraded COST to “outperform” and raised its price target to $1,000, giving investors a near-term upside anchor and likely supporting buying interest. COST upgraded at Mizuho
• Positive Sentiment: Costco expects a new Port St. Lucie distribution center to open in March 2026 — a logistics expansion that can lower fulfillment costs and improve inventory flow in Florida. Port St. Lucie distribution center
• Positive Sentiment: Costco NZ reported its first profit since 2022 (NZ$9.6m) as revenue climbed, signaling international unit economics are improving. Costco NZ posts profit
• Positive Sentiment: Member partnerships (e.g., discounted Cadillac/Volvo EV offers) and perks may boost membership value and retention — a sticky revenue driver for the warehouse model. EV discounts for members
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and coverage pieces highlight Costco’s growing digital ecosystem (e‑commerce, AI, same‑day delivery) as a compounding growth engine and referenced possible special/dividend actions, adding to bullish sentiment. Digital ecosystem article
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary bundles Costco among mega-cap “durable compounders” for 2026 — supportive longer‑term narrative but not a short‑term catalyst by itself. Why These 3 Mega-Caps Could Still Surprise
• Neutral Sentiment: high-profile investor commentary (e.g., Jim Cramer, Motley Fool lists) repeats a long-term buy thesis for COST; useful for sentiment but not an immediate fundamental change. Cramer’s Stop Trading: Costco
• Negative Sentiment: Some analyst pieces and models remain cautious: Zacks and others have published guarded near‑term earnings outlooks, calling out potential Q2 softness — a restraint on valuation. Zacks pessimistic outlook
• Negative Sentiment: Price‑target/forecast pieces note COST has pulled back from its 52‑week high and faces valuation questions; that technical/valuation pressure can limit near‑term upside. Price prediction and recent pullback

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Sage Capital Advisors llc lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.7% in the 4th quarter. Sage Capital Advisors llc now owns 6,416 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $5,533,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. RDA Financial Network raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. RDA Financial Network now owns 4,506 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $3,886,000 after buying an additional 14 shares during the last quarter. Ransom Advisory Ltd raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 20.3% during the fourth quarter. Ransom Advisory Ltd now owns 77 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $66,000 after buying an additional 13 shares during the last quarter. Fulcrum Equity Management grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 57.4% during the fourth quarter. Fulcrum Equity Management now owns 603 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $520,000 after buying an additional 220 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Chemistry Wealth Management LLC increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 5.8% during the fourth quarter. Chemistry Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,084 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,660,000 after acquiring an additional 169 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 1.5%

The company has a market cap of $394.64 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.62, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.25 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. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $893.00 and its two-hundred day moving average is $932.98.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.27 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $67.31 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $67.03 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 29.35% and a net margin of 2.96%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $4.04 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 31st were paid a dividend of $1.30 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, October 31st. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 27.85%.

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.