Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) Trading Down 1.2% – Time to Sell?

Posted by Brian Himes on Sep 2nd, 2026

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST – Get Free Report) dropped 1.2% on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $920.31 and last traded at $928.48. Approximately 2,152,256 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 1% from the average session volume of 2,176,815 shares. The stock had previously closed at $939.96.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

Positive Sentiment: Analyst remains bullish: Mizuho reiterated a Buy rating and an $1,100 price target, citing confidence in Costco’s membership-driven business model and continued core growth. Analyst Reiterates Buy on Costco
Positive Sentiment: Potential earnings upside: Zacks said Costco’s history of earnings surprises and favorable current indicators could support another quarterly earnings beat, potentially helping sentiment if results meet or exceed expectations. Why Costco Could Beat Earnings Estimates Again
Positive Sentiment: Recent coverage highlights Costco’s expansion into beauty products, new warehouse growth in Southern California, and its long-term track record as reasons investors may continue to view the company as a high-quality compounder. Costco Builds Beauty Business
Neutral Sentiment: Articles comparing Costco with Target focus on which retailer offers better value. Costco’s strong business quality is balanced against a relatively high earnings multiple, leaving valuation-dependent investors divided. TGT or COST Which Is the Better Value Stock
Negative Sentiment: DOJ beef-price investigation: The Justice Department expanded an inquiry into rising retail beef prices to Costco and other major retailers. The investigation could create regulatory, legal, and reputational risks, although no wrongdoing by Costco was established in the report. DOJ Expands Beef Price Investigation
Negative Sentiment: Costco reportedly shut down its Costco Next curated marketplace/service without advance notice, frustrating some members and raising questions about customer communication and execution. What Happened to Costco Next

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on COST shares. DA Davidson restated a “neutral” rating and set a $1,000.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, June 4th. Guggenheim restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Mizuho set a $1,100.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Royal Bank Of Canada initiated coverage on Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, July 13th. They issued a “sector perform” rating and a $1,000.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Bank of America upped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,059.53.

Read Our Latest Research Report on COST

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.61. The stock has a market cap of $411.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.70, a PEG ratio of 4.31 and a beta of 0.87. The company’s 50 day moving average is $945.29 and its 200 day moving average is $979.34.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 24th were issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is 29.58%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the transaction, the director owned 4,779 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,575,653.55. This represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Costco Wholesale

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. C M Bidwell & Associates Ltd. purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth $28,000. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Burk Holdings LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 2nd quarter worth about $30,000. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the second quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Finally, Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Company Profile

(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.