Brokerages Set Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) Price Target at $1,056.32

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) has been assigned a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the thirty-four ratings firms that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have issued a hold rating and twenty-two have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $1,060.4138.

COST has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Raymond James Financial lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Telsey Advisory Group lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Mizuho set a $1,100.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ COST opened at $971.87 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. Costco Wholesale has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,096.50. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $1,006.71 and its 200 day moving average price is $964.35. The firm has a market cap of $431.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 48.89, a P/E/G ratio of 4.71 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.The company had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $70.12 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $4.28 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale will post 20.38 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st were issued a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is presently 29.58%.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco posted another strong month, with May net sales up 14.5% year over year to $24.01 billion and comparable sales still running at a healthy pace, reinforcing the view that traffic and spending trends remain solid. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports May Sales Results
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts continued to point to Costco’s defensive fundamentals, strong U.S. comparable sales, fuel-driven traffic, and growing digital business as reasons for optimism on the stock. Costco Stock (COST) Keeps Wall Street Split despite Accelerating Sales
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s ability to hold up during the broader market sell-off underscored its reputation as a defensive retailer, which may have helped support investor interest. Why Costco Stock Held Steady During Friday’s Market Sell-Off
• Neutral Sentiment: Several articles framed Costco as a high-quality long-term compounder, but also emphasized that its premium valuation leaves less room for error if growth slows. Costco stock price shocks market despite major blowout quarter
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco’s valuation remains a debate point on Wall Street, with some analysts maintaining Buy ratings and high price targets while others argue the stock already reflects much of the good news. Costco: Robust Comps and Reaccelerating Digital Sales Support Buy Rating, Price Target Reaffirmed at $1275
• Negative Sentiment: One recent note argued that Costco’s strong quarter was not enough to offset valuation worries, suggesting investors may be hesitant to pay up after the recent sales-driven rally. Costco’s Strong Quarter Still Leaves Investors with a Valuation Problem

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Costco Wholesale

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Hurley Capital LLC boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, Manning & Napier Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 750.0% during the 1st quarter. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC now owns 34 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 30 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

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.