Capital Research Global Investors Sells 28,727 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Capital Research Global Investors cut its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 3.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 869,356 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 28,727 shares during the quarter. Capital Research Global Investors owned 0.20% of Costco Wholesale worth $804,671,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 4.4% in the 2nd quarter. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC now owns 262 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $259,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Busey Bank grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.4% in the 3rd quarter. Busey Bank now owns 2,651 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,454,000 after buying an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Pasadena Private Wealth LLC grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.8% in the third quarter. Pasadena Private Wealth LLC now owns 1,403 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,299,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Tandem Investment Partners LLC increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% during the third quarter. Tandem Investment Partners LLC now owns 990 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $916,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the period. Finally, Optima Capital LLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.9% in the 3rd quarter. Optima Capital LLC now owns 1,192 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,104,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

NASDAQ COST opened at $997.36 on Wednesday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,067.08. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $967.03 and a 200 day moving average of $935.85. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 1.06. The company has a market capitalization of $442.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.86, a PEG ratio of 4.84 and a beta of 1.01.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $4.02 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Friday, January 30th were issued a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 27.04%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

COST has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Telsey Advisory Group lifted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,125.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $1,155.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Evercore set a $1,100.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and set a $1,050.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,060.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,039.13.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: BTIG raised its price target to $1,125 (from $1,115) and kept a Buy rating after Costco’s Q2 beat, citing strong membership income and traffic — a supportive signal for upside. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Several outlets/reporting services published higher price targets (including one noting a raise to $1,315), showing continued analyst bullishness and a range of upside scenarios priced in by some firms. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Tax/tariff news: a federal trade‑court ruling could generate tariff refunds that management says it may pass to members as lower prices — this would reinforce Costco’s value proposition and membership stickiness. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Operational momentum: February comparable‑store sales were strong (Zacks cites comps up ~7.9%) and e‑commerce grew double digits, supporting the premium valuation on fundamental grounds. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Daiwa raised its target to $975 but kept a Neutral rating — a modestly positive PT move offset by a non‑bullish stance. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Truist nudged its target higher to $977 (from $926) but reiterated a Hold, noting membership growth remains a constraint — mixed signal for near‑term upside. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Company expansion note: Costco is building another standalone gas station — incremental revenue/traffic detail that is likely modestly accretive over time. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Wide coverage pieces (Fool, Seeking Alpha) continue to debate valuation vs. peers (Walmart, Home Depot) — helpful context but not an immediate catalyst. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Goldman Sachs cut its price target to $1,088, which, along with comments about premium valuation, adds near‑term downside risk if growth disappoints. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation/expectations: some analysts and writeups (Seeking Alpha coverage noted) view shares as fairly valued — combined with membership‑growth headwinds this can pressure the stock when sentiment weakens. Read More.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total transaction of $838,321.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 4,228 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,169,907.28. This trade represents a 16.74% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Susan L. Decker sold 458 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $955.00, for a total value of $437,390.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 8,532 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,148,060. This represents a 5.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 6,915 shares of company stock valued at $6,317,097. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

About Costco Wholesale

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.