Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Stock Holdings Lessened by Chevy Chase Trust Holdings LLC

Chevy Chase Trust Holdings LLC lessened its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 5.2% in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 407,114 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 22,198 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale comprises about 1.0% of Chevy Chase Trust Holdings LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 13th largest holding. Chevy Chase Trust Holdings LLC owned 0.09% of Costco Wholesale worth $376,837,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of COST. Hurley Capital LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth about $34,000. Collier Financial purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth about $35,000. AXS Investments LLC acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth about $36,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth about $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other news, Director Susan L. Decker sold 458 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $955.00, for a total transaction of $437,390.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 8,532 shares in the company, valued at $8,148,060. The trade was a 5.09% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $916.32, for a total transaction of $1,374,480.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 8,240 shares in the company, valued at $7,550,476.80. This trade represents a 15.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 7,645 shares of company stock worth $7,049,302. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 beat and membership strength: Costco reported stronger-than-expected FQ2 results (revenue and EPS beats) and management highlighted membership growth and traffic as key drivers, underpinning confidence in recurring fee income and sales momentum. Costco Reports $68.24B FQ2 Sales
• Positive Sentiment: Membership mix and premium sign‑ups: Executive membership growth (near 40M members, +~9%) supports higher-margin recurring fee income and may sustain revenue per member. This is a structural tailwind for margins and cash flow. Is a $130 Costco executive membership the new VIP status?
• Positive Sentiment: In‑warehouse innovation and product drops: Expanded in‑warehouse experiences, curated product drops (e.g., fashion/brand collaborations) and new assortments (including third‑party brands like Hiboy e‑bikes) are helping traffic and impulse sales. Costco Expands In‑Warehouse Experiences Hiboy C1 E‑Bike Lands at Costco
• Neutral Sentiment: Digital growth and traffic resilience: Management says digital sales and e‑commerce expansion remain contributors to growth, but macro headwinds (e.g., energy-driven pressure on discretionary budgets) add uncertainty to near‑term sales cadence. Costco Says Shoppers Are Still Spending Rising gas prices could offset tax refunds
• Neutral Sentiment: Insider sale: An EVP disclosed a sale of ~730 shares; the size is immaterial relative to Costco’s market cap and does not signal a clear change in insider confidence. Executive Form 4
• Negative Sentiment: Tariff‑refund lawsuits create legal overhang: Multiple proposed class‑action suits allege Costco must pass along refunds to customers after the Supreme Court struck down certain Trump‑era tariffs; plaintiffs seek substantial recoveries and class status, introducing potential liability, administrative burden and PR risk until resolved. Reuters: Costco customers sue
• Negative Sentiment: Complex legal landscape: Coverage notes the situation is “messy” — Costco has also pursued government action to recover tariff amounts, but parallel suits against the company could keep volatility and headline risk elevated until legal outcomes and any government refunds are clarified. Barron’s: Tariff refunds are getting messy

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of COST opened at $1,008.43 on Friday. The business’s 50-day moving average is $975.52 and its 200-day moving average is $937.14. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.59. The company has a market capitalization of $447.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.44, a P/E/G ratio of 5.10 and a beta of 1.01. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,067.08.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The business had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $68.96 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $4.02 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

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

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have commented on COST. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,171.00 to $1,088.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, March 6th. TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, March 6th. Telsey Advisory Group upped their price target on shares of 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. BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $1,115.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, Oppenheimer lifted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. 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. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,039.13.

Costco Wholesale 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.