Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Oppenheimer Analyst Says

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) had its price target raised by stock analysts at Oppenheimer from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 in a research note issued on Thursday, MarketBeat reports. The firm presently has an “outperform” rating on the retailer’s stock. Oppenheimer’s price objective would suggest a potential upside of 10.76% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other research analysts have also weighed in on COST. Truist Financial decreased their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,033.00 to $926.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Hovde Group initiated coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Tuesday, November 18th. They set a “market perform” rating and a $16.00 target price for the company. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their price target on 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. Guggenheim restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, October 9th. Twenty-one analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,006.19.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

COST traded up $14.79 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $993.14. 1,919,159 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,717,297. The company has a market capitalization of $440.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 53.19, a PEG ratio of 5.85 and a beta of 1.01. Costco Wholesale has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,078.23. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $911.22 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $929.80. The company has a current ratio of 1.04, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 return on equity of 29.35% and a net margin of 2.96%.Costco Wholesale’s quarterly revenue was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $4.04 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $916.32, for a total value of $1,374,480.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 8,240 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,550,476.80. This trade represents a 15.40% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $939.00, for a total transaction of $1,408,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 44,837 shares in the company, valued at approximately $42,101,943. This trade represents a 3.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 9,315 shares of company stock worth $8,549,409 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Costco Wholesale

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 4.4% in the 2nd quarter. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC now owns 262 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $259,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Graney & King LLC increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 6.8% during the second quarter. Graney & King LLC now owns 173 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $171,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Seneschal Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.4% in the second quarter. Seneschal Advisors LLC now owns 3,142 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,110,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Busey Bank grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.4% during the 3rd quarter. Busey Bank now owns 2,651 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,454,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the period. Finally, Pasadena Private Wealth LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.8% in the third quarter. Pasadena Private Wealth LLC now owns 1,403 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,299,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors 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: Company-reported January net sales of $21.33B (+9.3% YoY) and strong comparable-store and digital growth underpin the rally. Costco Reports January Sales
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple outlets highlight a 2026 rebound narrative (e.g., “Costco’s Comeback”), noting YTD share gains after 2025 underperformance — supports momentum trading interest. Costco’s Comeback (24/7 Wall St.)
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst and market flow support: TipRanks/Telsey/Gordon Haskett commentary and BofA data showing record inflows to staples are lifting sentiment toward Costco. TipRanks: StrongBuy Trend
• Neutral Sentiment: Wells Fargo raised its price target from $900 to $950 but maintained an “equal weight” rating — signal is mixed (higher target but limited upside vs. current levels). Wells Fargo Price Target Note
• Neutral Sentiment: Jim Cramer and retail commentary (e.g., discounted luxury finds in China) provide positive PR and retail buzz, but limited direct EPS impact. Jim Cramer on Costco
• Negative Sentiment: Recall and litigation headlines: a California pastry recall for undeclared nuts and a lawsuit over “no preservatives” labeling on rotisserie chicken create short-term operational/PR risk. Pastry Recall (KRON4)
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and risk warnings: several pieces note lofty P/E and frothy staples multiples; some analysts (e.g., Roth MKM) keep cautionary views about inventory/stockpiling reversal risk. Monitor P/E (~53) and PEG when assessing further upside. Valuation Discussion (Yahoo Finance)

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.