Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: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 21 uncommon options trades for Costco Wholesale.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 14% bullish and 57%, bearish.
Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 16 are puts, for a total amount of $1,446,678, and 5 are calls, for a total amount of $156,482.
Expected Price Movements
Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $850.0 to $1000.0 for Costco Wholesale over the recent three months.
Insights into Volume & Open Interest
Looking at the volume and open interest is an insightful way to conduct due diligence on a stock.
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 activity within a strike price range from $850.0 to $1000.0 in the last 30 days.
Costco Wholesale Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days
Biggest Options Spotted:
| Symbol | PUT/CALL | Trade Type | Sentiment | Exp. Date | Ask | Bid | Price | Strike Price | Total Trade Price | Open Interest | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COST | PUT | SWEEP | BEARISH | 11/28/25 | $17.3 | $17.25 | $17.3 | $900.00 | $207.6K | 605 | 156 |
| COST | PUT | TRADE | NEUTRAL | 01/16/26 | $102.35 | $97.4 | $100.0 | $980.00 | $200.0K | 616 | 0 |
| COST | PUT | TRADE | NEUTRAL | 11/21/25 | $10.95 | $9.95 | $10.5 | $880.00 | $175.3K | 3.8K | 814 |
| COST | PUT | TRADE | NEUTRAL | 01/15/27 | $137.7 | $130.0 | $133.92 | $980.00 | $133.9K | 181 | 10 |
| COST | PUT | TRADE | BEARISH | 11/21/25 | $10.5 | $10.1 | $10.41 | $880.00 | $129.0K | 3.8K | 689 |
About Costco Wholesale
Founded in 1983, Costco Wholesale now operates a global chain of membership-based warehouse clubs, delivering high-quality goods and services at consistently low prices. As of its most recent fiscal year, Costco operated approximately 910 warehouses, serving more than 80 million members across its three geographic segments: Costco US (approximately 73% of total revenue), Costco Canada (13%), and Costco International (14%).Costco's core value proposition—quality products at unbeatable prices—has yielded consistently strong member renewal rates (93% in the US and Canada and nearly 90% internationally). About 55% of Costco's fiscal 2025 revenue came from its grocery offerings, and another 25% from general merchandise.
In light of the recent options history for Costco Wholesale, it's now appropriate to focus on the company itself. We aim to explore its current performance.
Where Is Costco Wholesale Standing Right Now?
- With a volume of 230,080, the price of COST is down -1.14% at $884.87.
- RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock may be oversold.
- Next earnings are expected to be released in 22 days.
What Analysts Are Saying About Costco Wholesale
Over the past month, 4 industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, proposing an average target price of $1068.75.
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. * 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. * An analyst from Oppenheimer has decided to maintain their Outperform rating on Costco Wholesale, which currently sits at a price target of $1050. * Maintaining their stance, an analyst from JP Morgan continues to hold a Overweight rating for Costco Wholesale, targeting a price of $1025.
Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest Costco Wholesale options trades with real-time alerts from Benzinga Pro.
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