The Goldman Sachs Group Cuts Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) Price Target to $1,088.00

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) had its target price reduced by The Goldman Sachs Group from $1,171.00 to $1,088.00 in a report issued on Friday,MarketScreener reports. They currently have a buy rating on the retailer’s stock.

COST has been the topic of a number of other research reports. Truist Financial increased their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $926.00 to $977.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $900.00 to $950.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, February 5th. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,060.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday. Finally, DA Davidson reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $1,000.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,035.35.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $998.10 on Friday. Costco Wholesale has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,067.08. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $961.64 and its 200 day moving average is $935.32. The stock has a market cap of $443.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.90, a PEG ratio of 4.76 and a beta of 1.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.59.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. Costco Wholesale’s revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $4.02 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale will post 18.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 30th were given a dividend of $1.30 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 30th. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.5%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is presently 27.04%.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Javier Polit sold 2,049 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $867.21, for a total transaction of $1,776,913.29. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 10,748 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $9,320,773.08. This represents a 16.01% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $916.32, for a total transaction of $1,374,480.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 8,240 shares in the company, valued at $7,550,476.80. The trade was a 15.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 6,915 shares of company stock worth $6,317,097. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Costco Wholesale

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Soundwatch Capital LLC lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 635.7% during the second quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC now owns 2,553 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 2,206 shares in the last quarter. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the second quarter worth about $31,000. Finally, Hurley Capital LLC raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 18 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 double‑beat — Costco reported revenue of ~$69.6B and GAAP EPS of $4.58, with comp‑store strength and membership fee growth that underpin near‑term sales momentum. This is the main catalyst supporting the rally. Costco Wholesale beats quarterly comparable sales estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades and higher price targets — several brokers (notably a large Street high by BMO cited in coverage) raised targets and reiterated outperform/overweight views, adding upward pressure. Costco Stock Scores New Street‑High Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Capital returns & balance‑sheet strength — commentary and notes on buybacks, a rising cash pile and the “special dividend” thesis are attracting income/return‑focused investors and support further upside. Costco Wholesale: Buy Now, Get Paid Later as Cash and Returns Build
• Positive Sentiment: Digital and membership momentum — online sales growth (~22.6%) and rising membership income are cited on the call as durable drivers of mix and margins, supporting investor confidence. Costco Digital Innovations Fuel 22.6% Online Growth
• Neutral Sentiment: Mixed analyst moves — while many raised targets, a few (e.g., Goldman) trimmed targets even as they kept buy calls; that creates a mix of conviction levels among institutional holders. Goldman Sachs adjusts price target on Costco
• Neutral Sentiment: Muted market reaction — despite the beat, some headlines note a tepid price move (and some pre‑market weakness) as investors weigh valuation metrics versus growth. That can lead to intraday volatility. Costco Stock Exhibits Muted Reaction Amid Double‑Beat Earnings Report
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation concerns and “red flags” narrative — some outlets argue the stock is expensive (high P/E, PEG) and list risks that could cap upside; those narratives are pressuring more value‑sensitive investors. Is Costco Too Expensive? 3 Red Flags That Could Send Shares Sliding

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.