Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) Sets New 12-Month High Following Analyst Upgrade

Posted by Francis Steltz on May 22nd, 2026

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST – Get Free Report)’s stock price hit a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday after UBS Group raised their price target on the stock from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00. UBS Group currently has a buy rating on the stock. Costco Wholesale traded as high as $1,096.50 and last traded at $1,094.32, with a volume of 2851390 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $1,076.47.

COST has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Raymond James Financial raised their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. DA Davidson reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, April 10th. TD Cowen reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, March 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,110.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, April 17th. Finally, Citigroup reiterated a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,052.60.

Get Our Latest Stock Report on COST

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

Positive Sentiment: Analysts remain constructive on Costco heading into its Q3 update, with UBS raising its price target and reiterating a buy rating, citing expectations for another solid quarter and continued membership-driven resilience.
Positive Sentiment: Several reports highlighted Costco’s strong 2026 run, including fresh all-time highs, continued expansion, and investor interest in the stock as a high-quality defensive retailer with steady renewal trends.
Neutral Sentiment: Upcoming holiday trading hours and broader market comments are not company-specific, but they keep Costco in a generally supportive market backdrop as the Nasdaq and S&P 500 remain near record levels. Stock Market To Close For Memorial Day. Here Are Wall Street’s Holiday Hours.
Neutral Sentiment: Costco remains a focal point for traders ahead of earnings, with preview pieces suggesting expectations are already elevated and that the company may need only steady results, not a blowout, to support the stock. Costco Q3 Earnings Preview: Great Business With Limited Upside
Negative Sentiment: Costco is falling largely in sympathy with Walmart after Walmart’s earnings and guidance disappointed investors, raising concerns that consumer spending is more pressured than expected and dragging on other big-box retailers. Costco Stock Dips After Walmart’s Q1 Report: What’s Going On?
Negative Sentiment: Broader articles also point to Costco’s rich valuation and high expectations ahead of earnings, which could limit upside if the company merely meets forecasts rather than significantly beats them.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of COST. Palisade Asset Management LLC grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.4% in the 4th quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC now owns 702 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $605,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares during the period. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. now owns 3,194 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,754,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares during the period. Wealth Effects LLC grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.2% in the 1st quarter. Wealth Effects LLC now owns 874 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $871,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares during the period. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.8% in the 1st quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. now owns 551 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $549,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares during the period. Finally, First National Bank of Hutchinson grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.9% in the 1st quarter. First National Bank of Hutchinson now owns 1,098 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,094,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

The stock has a market capitalization of $466.04 billion, a PE ratio of 54.63, a PEG ratio of 5.28 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $1,007.14 and its 200 day simple moving average is $959.65.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST – Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations 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 for the quarter was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $4.02 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.33 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st were paid a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend 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 30.58%.

About Costco Wholesale

(Get Free Report)

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.