Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) Now Covered by Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft

Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) in a research report released on Thursday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. The brokerage issued a buy rating on the retailer’s stock.

A number of other research analysts have also commented on COST. The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,218.00 to $1,171.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Telsey Advisory Group restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $1,100.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, December 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,025.00 to $1,027.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, December 12th. Finally, Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Twenty-one investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $996.00.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 3.7%

COST stock opened at $915.31 on Thursday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $892.31 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $932.51. Costco Wholesale has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,078.23. The firm has a market capitalization of $406.28 billion, a PE ratio of 49.03, a PEG ratio of 5.29 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.27 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $67.31 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $67.03 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.96% and a return on equity of 29.35%. Costco Wholesale’s revenue was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $4.04 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts predict that Costco Wholesale will post 18.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

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

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 2,400 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, November 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $930.13, for a total transaction of $2,232,312.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 2,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,860,260. This trade represents a 54.55% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,700 shares of Costco Wholesale 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 transaction, the executive vice president owned 6,851 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,410,343.68. The trade was a 28.27% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 8,946 shares of company stock valued at $8,175,048 over the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Peterson Wealth Services lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.5% in the second quarter. Peterson Wealth Services now owns 13,616 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $13,479,000 after acquiring an additional 72 shares in the last quarter. Fishman Jay A Ltd. MI increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 3.5% during the second quarter. Fishman Jay A Ltd. MI now owns 16,888 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $16,718,000 after purchasing an additional 575 shares in the last quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 49.3% in the 3rd quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated now owns 3,780 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,499,000 after purchasing an additional 1,248 shares during the last quarter. Permanent Capital Management LP purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at $874,000. Finally, Wealthspire Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 2.0% during the 2nd quarter. Wealthspire Advisors LLC now owns 15,799 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $15,640,000 after purchasing an additional 312 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Company-reported December net sales of $29.86B (up 8.5% YoY) and 18.9% digitally-enabled sales highlight broad-based strength across regions and channels, underpinning near-term revenue momentum. Costco Reports December Sales Results
• Positive Sentiment: Monthly and holiday comp-sales data (total-company comps ~+7%, U.S. comps +6%) are cited by analysts as a catalyst for a stock recovery and buying interest. Coverage and write-ups from outlets highlight the sales beat as the primary short-term driver. Costco Holiday Blowout Signals Strong Stock Recovery Ahead
• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street activity is supportive: new coverage (Deutsche Bank initiated at Buy), analyst reaffirmations and high price targets (Telsey $1,100 PT; J.P. Morgan maintain Buy with $1,000 PT) lift sentiment and create potential upside vs. the current share price. Deutsche Bank Coverage (Finviz)
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary notes Costco’s long-term growth runway (membership model, retail media potential, international expansion), which supports a premium valuation but also implies investors are pricing in quality growth. Costco: The Retail Media Transformation Everyone Is Missing
• Neutral Sentiment: Speculation about special dividends and investor chatter around capital returns has surfaced after strong sales; this can boost short-term interest but is not confirmed corporate action. Investors Hunt for a 2026 Special Dividend
• Negative Sentiment: Local development/legal risks: a lawsuit seeking to block a proposed Paramus, NJ Costco highlights potential project delays and local regulatory risk that can affect growth timing in specific markets. Paramus Lawsuit Seeks to Block Costco Project
• Negative Sentiment: Quiver/filings data show notable insider sales and mixed institutional positioning; heavy insider selling can be perceived negatively even as institutions broadly remain active — a risk to sentiment if selling accelerates. QuiverQuant December Sales & Insider Activity

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.