Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) Trading 0.4% Higher - Time to Buy?

Costco Wholesale Co. (NASDAQ:COST) saw its shares increase by 0.4% during trading on Tuesday. The stock reached a high of $993.78 before closing at $992.25, with a total of 334,370 shares traded. This volume is significantly lower than the average of 1,917,811 shares, indicating an 83% decrease in trading activity. The previous closing price was $987.86.

Costco Wholesale Alerts:

Analyst Ratings Changes

• 5 Dividend Aristocrats to Buy Now and Hold Through 2025

Analysts have recently provided various insights on Costco's stock performance. DA Davidson has maintained a "neutral" rating while setting a price target of $880.00. Meanwhile, Roth Mkm raised its price target from $676.00 to $755.00, also advising a "neutral" approach. Loop Capital has a more bullish stance, increasing its target from $975.00 to $1,005.00 and rating the stock as a "buy." Wells Fargo & Company similarly raised its price objective from $850.00 to $950.00 with an "equal weight" rating. Finally, Evercore ISI set its price target from $985.00 to $990.00, reflecting an "outperform" rating. A total of ten analysts recommend holding the stock, while nineteen suggest buying it. MarketBeat.com reports an average rating of "Moderate Buy" with a price target averaging $931.89.

Explore Our Latest Stock Analysis on Costco Wholesale

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

• The 3 Best Consumer Staples Stocks for a Defensive Strategy

Costco's financial ratios indicate a quick ratio of 0.44, a current ratio of 0.97, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25. With a market capitalization of $439.32 billion, the company has a price-to-earnings ratio of 59.88 and a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.05. The stock's 50-day and 200-day simple moving averages stand at $917.82 and $880.63, respectively.

On September 26th, Costco posted its latest quarterly earnings results, reporting earnings per share (EPS) of $5.15, surpassing the consensus estimate of $5.05. The company generated revenue of $79.70 billion, slightly below the expected $79.91 billion. Costco's net margin is 2.90%, and it achieved a return on equity of 31.05%. Year-over-year, the quarterly revenue rose by 1.0%. Analysts predict that Costco Wholesale will report an EPS of 17.74 for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

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Recently, Costco announced a quarterly dividend of $1.16, paid on November 15th to investors of record as of November 1st. Annually, this dividend amounts to $4.64, yielding 0.47%. The ex-dividend date was set on November 1st, and the company's payout ratio currently stands at 28.00%.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In recent insider trading, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 3,200 shares on September 30th at an average price of $888.99, totaling approximately $2.84 million. Post-sale, Adamo retains 8,630 shares, valued around $7.67 million. An additional insider, EVP Russell D. Miller, divested 4,400 shares on October 11th at an average of $891.15, amounting to about $3.92 million. Following this transaction, Miller holds 10,202 shares worth around $9.09 million. Over the past 90 days, insiders have sold 11,016 company shares valued at nearly $9.83 million, with insiders currently owning about 0.18% of the stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Recent changes by institutional investors show significant movement in Costco's stock. International Assets Investment Management LLC dramatically increased its holdings by an astonishing 113,947.9%, possessing 7,370,916 shares worth $6.53 billion after acquiring an additional 7,364,453 shares. Similarly, Wulff Hansen & CO. boosted its stake by 99,208.6%, now owning 1,474,733 shares valued at $1.25 billion. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. raised its position by 287.3%, holding 836,247 shares worth $710.8 million after an additional purchase of 620,341 shares. Additionally, Strategic Financial Concepts LLC increased its stake by 51,747.5%, now holding 619,578 shares after acquiring 618,383 shares, valuing this at $5.27 million. Furthermore, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP augmented its shareholding by 28.2%, possessing 1,538,078 shares valued at $1.31 billion. Institutional investors now own approximately 68.48% of Costco's shares.

About Costco Wholesale

Costco Wholesale Corporation, including its subsidiaries, operates membership warehouses across the United States and several other countries including Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. The company provides a variety of branded and private-label products across numerous merchandise categories.

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This report aims to provide a clear picture of Costco's current trading environment. It uses the latest financial data and analysis trends for an informed assessment. If contemplating an investment, consider these insights carefully.

Should you invest $1,000 in Costco Wholesale right now?

Before making any investment in Costco Wholesale, it's important to gather all necessary information. Market trends indicate analysts are currently identifying five stocks they view as stronger buys than Costco. While Costco has obtained a "Moderate Buy" rating from analysts, some believe that alternative stocks may offer better opportunities. Evaluating all options could lead to more informed investment decisions.

Costco, Stocks, Trading