We recently published a list of 20 Most Expensive Stocks Insiders Are Dumping In March. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) stands against other most expensive stocks insiders are dumping in March.
After being in the green for a few trading sessions, the broader market index slid 0.8% on Wednesday, and blue-chip companies declined 0.1%. The NASDAQ Composite was down 1.6% in the early afternoon. On Tuesday, Trump provided an update on tariffs, saying they will likely be more “lenient than reciprocal,” suggesting a more relaxed approach, reports CNBC.
As investors process daily market developments, uncertainty continues to impact the market. In these periods, insider trading often attracts attention, as purchases of company stock by executives may suggest confidence in the company’s future. However, insider selling doesn’t necessarily imply a lack of faith—it may be driven by personal financial needs or a desire for diversification. Executives frequently rely on pre-established plans, such as 10b5-1, to maintain transparency. While insider trading can provide useful insights, it should be evaluated in the context of a company’s financial health, market trends, and industry changes.
What are some of the most expensive stocks insiders have been selling this month so far? To find out, we used Insider Monkey’s insider trading stock screener, focusing only on stocks where at least three insiders had sold shares in March. From there, we ranked the 20 stocks with the highest average price per share in times of sales.
Our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds, focusing on insider trading and stock picks from hedge fund investor newsletters and conferences. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).
With each stock, we note the average price per share of these sales and the stock’s market capitalization.
A customer in a warehouse aisles, browsing the wide range of branded and private-label products.
Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST)
Market Capitalization: $412.74 billion
Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) operates membership-only warehouse clubs in various countries, including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Japan, and several others. The Issaquah, Washington-based company offers a wide range of products, from groceries and electronics to furniture and clothing, and also provides services like gas stations, pharmacies, and tire installation. Costco (NASDAQ:COST) generates significant profit through membership fees, which totaled $4.8 billion in fiscal 2024, and has seen a 7% annual increase in paid members over the last two years.
For the second quarter of fiscal 2025, Costco (NASDAQ:COST) disclosed net sales of $62.53 billion, up 9.1% from $57.33 billion in fiscal 2024. Net income for the quarter was $1,788 million, $4.02 per diluted share, compared to $1,743 million, $3.92 per diluted share, last year.
In January, Costco’s board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend on its common stock of $1.16 per share.
This month, three insiders, including the CEO, sold around $4.95 million worth of Costco shares at an average price of $917.94 per share. Year-to-date, the stock is up 1.53%, trading at $930.26 per share. Over the past 12 months, Costco returned 27.26% to its investors.
Twenty-nine analysts have given an average “Moderate Buy” rating to Costco stock with a price target of $1,029.00 per share. According to MarketBeat, the average price target suggests a potential upside of 10.61% from the latest price.
Commenting on consumer-oriented stocks that can work in a slowdown, Mad Money host Jim Cramer recently mentioned Costco and said, “Once people get locked to a great service, they almost never cancel, whether it be Costco, Amazon Prime, Netflix.”
Costco (NASDAQ:COST) is also one of the 10 best department store stocks to invest in.
Overall, COST ranks 3rd on our list of most expensive stocks insiders are dumping in March. While we acknowledge the potential of COST our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than COST but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires.
Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
