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

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) had its target price hoisted by research analysts at Mizuho from $1,065.00 to $1,100.00 in a research note issued on Thursday,MarketScreener reports. The firm presently has an “outperform” rating on the retailer’s stock. Mizuho’s price objective would suggest a potential upside of 10.54% from the stock’s current price.

COST has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Gordon Haskett increased their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Oppenheimer increased their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, February 5th. BTIG Research reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $1,115.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, Citigroup reiterated a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, February 20th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,044.30.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $995.12 on Thursday. Costco Wholesale has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,067.08. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $995.81 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $943.83. The company has a market capitalization of $441.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.66, a P/E/G ratio of 4.80 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 1.06.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The business had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $4.02 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts expect that Costco Wholesale will post 18.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred 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 in the company, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This trade represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total transaction of $838,321.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 4,228 shares in the company, valued at $4,169,907.28. This represents a 16.74% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 2,038 shares of company stock worth $2,007,916. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Costco Wholesale

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Lbmc Investment Advisors LLC boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. Lbmc Investment Advisors LLC now owns 2,041 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,760,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the period. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. now owns 3,194 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,754,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the period. Palisade Asset Management LLC boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 1.4% in the 4th quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC now owns 702 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $605,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the period. Graney & King LLC boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 6.8% in the 2nd quarter. Graney & King LLC now owns 173 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $171,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the period. Finally, Seneschal Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.4% in the 2nd 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 in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Board approved a 13.1% quarterly dividend increase (from $1.30 to $1.47 per share), signaling strong free cash flow and a shareholder-friendly capital allocation stance; payable May 15 to holders of record May 1. Costco Announces Dividend Increase
• Positive Sentiment: Company is emphasizing differentiated, exclusive SKUs (example: an exclusive Aussie Miracle Curls jumbo pack) — helps drive membership value and traffic, supporting margins and comp-sales. Costco Raises Dividend And Bets On Exclusive Aussie Curl Care Offering
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts (Telsey, Wells Fargo) raised price targets and reiterated bullish views, citing steady execution — adds upward pressure via upgraded expectations. Telsey and Wells Fargo Raise Costco Targets
• Positive Sentiment: Operational metrics remain solid: strong March retail comps (about 9.4% comp growth, big digital gains) and Japan continuing to scale as a high-potential international market — supports revenue growth thesis. Is Costco Stock a Buy After Strong March Sales?
• Neutral Sentiment: Store expansion and local approvals continue (new/alternative-format store planned on west side of the Metroplex; UK and local liquor license approvals) — incremental growth but capital-light impact vs. headline cash return actions. Costco to bring different kind of store to west side of Metroplex
• Neutral Sentiment: Competitive dynamics: Sam’s Club and BJ’s gaining traction in some markets; Walmart/Sam’s membership fee moves may shift competitive pricing but could also validate the subscription model that favors Costco long-term. Will Increased Membership Fees at Sam’s Club Boost Costco?
• Negative Sentiment: Local competitors (Sam’s Club, BJ’s) are gaining share in some areas Costco historically dominated — could pressure market share or pricing in select regions over time. Sam’s Club, BJs gain traction in area Costco dominates

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.