Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on Costco Wholesale COST.
And retail traders should know.
We noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.
Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with COST, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.
So how do we know what these investors just did?
Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 22 uncommon options trades for Costco Wholesale.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 27% bullish and 45%, bearish.
Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 5 are puts, for a total amount of $1,162,251, and 17 are calls, for a total amount of $1,004,662.
What's The Price Target?
Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $760.0 to $1200.0 for Costco Wholesale during the past quarter.
Volume & Open Interest Development
Looking at the volume and open interest is a powerful move while trading options. This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for Costco Wholesale's options for a given strike price. Below, we can observe the evolution of the volume and open interest of calls and puts, respectively, for all of Costco Wholesale's whale trades within a strike price range from $760.0 to $1200.0 in the last 30 days.
Costco Wholesale Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days
Significant Options Trades Detected:
| Symbol | PUT/CALL | Trade Type | Sentiment | Exp. Date | Ask | Bid | Price | Strike Price | Total Trade Price | Open Interest | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COST | PUT | SWEEP | BEARISH | 01/16/26 | $50.95 | $48.9 | $50.77 | $980.00 | $522.9K | 635 | 103 |
| COST | PUT | TRADE | BEARISH | 10/17/25 | $39.5 | $37.95 | $39.2 | $990.00 | $490.0K | 202 | 126 |
| COST | CALL | TRADE | NEUTRAL | 01/15/27 | $193.05 | $186.5 | $189.45 | $880.00 | $208.3K | 41 | 0 |
| COST | CALL | TRADE | NEUTRAL | 08/22/25 | $9.7 | $8.65 | $9.1 | $975.00 | $127.4K | 202 | 98 |
| COST | CALL | TRADE | BULLISH | 01/15/27 | $227.0 | $224.2 | $227.0 | $830.00 | $113.5K | 29 | 5 |
About Costco Wholesale
Costco operates a membership-based, no-frills retail model predicated on offering a select product assortment in bulk quantities at bargain prices. The firm avoids maintaining costly product displays by keeping inventory on pallets and limits distribution expenses by storing its inventory at point of sale in the warehouse. Given its frugal cost structure, the firm is able to price its merchandise below that of competing retailers, driving high sales volume per warehouse and generating strong profits on thin margins. Costco operates over 600 warehouses in the United States and has over 60% share in the domestic warehouse club industry. Internationally, Costco operates about 280 warehouses, primarily in Canada, Mexico, Japan, and the UK.
Present Market Standing of Costco Wholesale
- Currently trading with a volume of 475,429, the COST's price is up by 0.2%, now at $973.99.
- RSI readings suggest the stock is currently may be approaching overbought.
- Anticipated earnings release is in 38 days.
Professional Analyst Ratings for Costco Wholesale
Over the past month, 3 industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, proposing an average target price of $1120.0.
Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move
Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. Click here for access. * Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from JP Morgan keeps a Overweight rating on Costco Wholesale with a target price of $1160. * Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Telsey Advisory Group continues to hold a Outperform rating for Costco Wholesale, targeting a price of $1100. * Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Telsey Advisory Group continues to hold a Outperform rating for Costco Wholesale, targeting a price of $1100.
Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for Costco Wholesale with Benzinga Pro for real-time alerts.
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