Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) EVP James Klauer Sells 1,500 Shares

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) EVP James Klauer sold 1,500 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $939.00, for a total value of $1,408,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 44,837 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $42,101,943. This trade represents a 3.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of COST opened at $956.75 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,078.23. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $893.88 and its 200 day simple moving average is $930.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a current ratio of 1.04. The stock has a market capitalization of $424.67 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.25, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.70 and a beta of 1.02.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.27 by $0.07. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 29.35% and a net margin of 2.96%.The business had revenue of $67.31 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $67.03 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $4.04 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Friday, January 30th will be issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is 27.85%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

COST has been the topic of several research analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,218.00 to $1,171.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, December 12th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, October 9th. Argus raised their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,170.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, September 29th. Roth Capital set a $769.00 price target on Costco Wholesale and gave the company a “sell” rating in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Finally, UBS Group reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, December 12th. Twenty-one investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $996.00.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Board declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.30 per share payable Feb. 13, reinforcing Costco’s shareholder-return policy and supporting demand for the stock. Costco Wholesale Corporation Announces Quarterly Cash Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst/commentary pieces and momentum stories point to a technical breakout after a sluggish 2025 and strong December sales, which is drawing renewed buyer interest. Costco Finally Breaks Out: Is There Still Time to Buy?
• Positive Sentiment: Long-term bullish narratives emphasize Costco’s membership model, recurring renewals, volume leverage and international expansion runway — supportive for long-horizon investors. 3 Reasons Long-Term Investors Keep Coming Back to Costco Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Consumer-facing pieces (membership value, product highlights) keep brand engagement high but are unlikely to move the stock materially on their own. Report reveals which Costco items can pay for the annual membership
• Negative Sentiment: Several insiders, including EVP James C. Klauer and other executives, disclosed share sales in mid-January; while routine, such sales can create short-term selling pressure and investor caution. James C. Klauer Insider Sale
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation concerns persist — Costco trades at a premium (roughly 50x earnings) versus retail peers, which moderates upside and makes the stock sensitive to any growth or margin disappointments. Read This Before Buying Costco Stock for the Long Term

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Costco Wholesale

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Ridgewood Investments LLC raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 7.4% during the second quarter. Ridgewood Investments LLC now owns 159 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $157,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Wagner Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 3.4% in the second quarter. Wagner Wealth Management LLC now owns 330 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $326,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 4.4% during the second quarter. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC now owns 262 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $259,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the period. Busey Bank boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.4% during the third quarter. Busey Bank now owns 2,651 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,454,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the period. Finally, Pasadena Private Wealth LLC grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.8% during the third quarter. Pasadena Private Wealth LLC now owns 1,403 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,299,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Company Profile

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.