Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Purchased by Victory Financial Group LLC

Victory Financial Group LLC increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 84.0% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 2,214 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 1,011 shares during the quarter. Victory Financial Group LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $1,910,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Hurley Capital LLC grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at $34,000. Collier Financial acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth $35,000. AXS Investments LLC acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth $36,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth $36,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $939.00, for a total transaction of $1,408,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 44,837 shares in the company, valued at approximately $42,101,943. This trade represents a 3.24% 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, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $916.32, for a total value of $1,374,480.00. Following the sale, 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 position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 5,038 shares of company stock valued at $4,790,896 in the last 90 days. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have recently commented on COST. HSBC reduced their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,045.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Friday, December 12th. Truist Financial boosted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $926.00 to $977.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $1,050.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,171.00 to $1,088.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $1,155.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,039.13.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $1,125 price target, signaling analyst confidence and potential upside. Benzinga
• Positive Sentiment: Costco will roll out its first stand‑alone gas station to members (separate from warehouses), expanding a proven membership-acquisition tool that can drive traffic and renewals. Costco Will Soon Open Its First Stand-Alone Gas Station
• Positive Sentiment: High gas prices may actually benefit warehouse clubs like Costco by making fuel a loss leader that attracts memberships and in‑store spending, supporting same‑store traffic and retention. Surprising Beneficiaries of High Gas Prices
• Positive Sentiment: Costco plans aggressive warehouse expansion (~28 new warehouses in FY26), which supports long‑term revenue and membership growth assumptions. Warehouse Expansion Plans
• Positive Sentiment: High-profile endorsements (e.g., Jim Cramer calling Costco a buy in the current environment) and strong Q2 metrics (high renewal rates, comp sales beat) are sustaining investor appetite. Jim Cramer on Costco
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts remain split on near‑term sales momentum (March sales expected to climb but views differ), leaving some uncertainty around guidance and short‑term comps. Analyst Split on March Sales
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage pieces comparing Costco to Amazon and Walmart highlight Costco’s strong membership model but reiterate valuation risks versus peers — useful context but not new company‑specific news. Costco vs Amazon
• Negative Sentiment: Costco faces a lawsuit alleging it raised prices and then sought tariff refunds from the government — a legal/regulatory overhang that could create reputational or financial risk if it escalates. Lawsuit Over Prices and Tariff Refunds
• Negative Sentiment: Local consumer complaints (e.g., backlash over an “overpriced” new dessert) and commentary about lofty valuation (high forward P/E) remind investors that execution and PR missteps can weigh on sentiment. Members Furious Overpriced Dessert

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $996.43 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $442.07 billion, a P/E ratio of 51.82, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.92 and a beta of 1.01. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,067.08. The business has a fifty day moving average of $988.00 and a two-hundred day moving average of $939.28. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 1.06.

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 business had revenue of $69.60 billion during 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 revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

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

Costco Wholesale Company 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.