Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) Trading Down 1.1% – What’s Next?

Posted by Francis Steltz on Jun 3rd, 2026

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST – Get Free Report)’s share price traded down 1.1% on Monday . The company traded as low as $936.51 and last traded at $946.11. 2,805,520 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 29% from the average session volume of 2,170,190 shares. The stock had previously closed at $956.32.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

Positive Sentiment: Analysts continue to view Costco favorably overall, with brokerages assigning the stock a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and several firms reiterating support for the company’s long-term fundamentals.
Positive Sentiment: Costco’s fiscal Q3 results were strong, with double-digit revenue growth, solid comparable sales, healthy traffic, and bigger baskets, while membership growth and digital operations remained key strengths. Article Title
Positive Sentiment: Higher gasoline prices boosted Costco’s fuel sales, helping drive record-breaking gas volume and adding an unexpected lift to traffic. Article Title
Positive Sentiment: Costco is also seeing strong demand for protein-packed products, which may support sales as consumers shift spending toward high-protein foods and drinks. Article Title
Neutral Sentiment: Commentary from TipRanks and other outlets suggests Costco is still executing well, but the stock’s premium valuation is the main reason the shares are struggling to gain traction after earnings. Article Title
Negative Sentiment: Despite strong operating results, COST has been under pressure after earnings, with several articles noting that the pullback reflects investor concern over valuation and limited near-term upside.
Negative Sentiment: At least one article noted a downgrade in updated blue-chip rankings, adding to the cautious tone around the stock. Article Title

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms recently weighed in on COST. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $1,050.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Guggenheim reissued a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday. BTIG Research reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $1,125.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Citigroup restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, February 20th. Finally, TD Cowen reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Twenty-two 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’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,056.32.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on COST

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

The business has a 50 day moving average price of $1,007.23 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $963.04. The stock has a market cap of $423.36 billion, a PE ratio of 48.00, a P/E/G ratio of 4.59 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 1.06.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results 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 analysts’ expectations of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.72%. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $4.28 earnings per share. Research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.36 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st were given 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 payout ratio is 29.58%.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total value of $732,204.60. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Costco Wholesale

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth $28,000. 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 valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 18 shares during the period. Finally, Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

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.