Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) Stock Price Down 2% on Insider Selling

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST)’s stock price dropped 2% on Thursday after an insider sold shares in the company. The company traded as low as $938.60 and last traded at $942.24. Approximately 2,421,739 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 11% from the average daily volume of 2,175,609 shares. The stock had previously closed at $961.09.

Specifically, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the sale, the director directly owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at $4,575,653.55. This trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages recently weighed in on COST. Roth Mkm upped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on 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. Guggenheim restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $1,125.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Finally, HC Wainwright reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Twenty-two equities 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. Based on data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,061.45.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentators remain constructive on Costco’s outlook, citing durable membership economics, digital gains, and global expansion as reasons the stock could outperform. Costco vs. Target: Which Discount Retailer Holds More Promise?
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage also suggests Costco may be a defensive winner if the market weakens, with some strategists naming it among stocks that could hold up well in a correction. Costco, Exxon, and 17 More Winners if the Market Drops
• Positive Sentiment: Investors are also focused on Costco’s cash generation, with speculation that its growing cash pile could support another special dividend later in 2026. Costco’s Cash Pile Is Building. Is a Special Dividend Coming in the Second Half of 2026?
• Positive Sentiment: Recent sales commentary remains strong, with reports highlighting 12% sales growth and 92% membership renewals, reinforcing Costco’s core operating strength. Costco Just Posted 12% Sales Growth and 92% Membership Renewals, and the Stock Fell Anyway. Is This the Buy-the-Dip Moment?
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple local and lifestyle stories about new stores and membership deals in Pensacola are mainly promotional and do not materially change the investment outlook. Costco is opening 2 new locations this week. See where
• Negative Sentiment: One piece of competitive coverage says Sam’s Club is making a move Costco may not match, which could raise concern that Costco may be less willing to pursue certain growth tactics. Sam’s Club just made a big move Costco won’t consider

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 2.0%

The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $997.36 and its 200-day simple moving average is $970.33. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The stock has a market capitalization of $417.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.40, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.64 and a beta of 0.88.

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

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st were given a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is currently 29.58%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Lbmc Investment Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. Lbmc Investment Advisors LLC now owns 2,041 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,760,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% during 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 in the last quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.4% during the fourth 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 last quarter. Wealth Effects LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.2% during the first quarter. Wealth Effects LLC now owns 874 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $871,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.8% in the first quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. now owns 551 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $549,000 after buying an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.