Eaton Financial Holdings Company LLC Sells 5,005 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Eaton Financial Holdings Company LLC reduced its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 87.2% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 736 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 5,005 shares during the period. Eaton Financial Holdings Company LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $635,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Leeward Financial Partners LLC raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 17.7% during the fourth quarter. Leeward Financial Partners LLC now owns 10,017 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $8,638,000 after buying an additional 1,503 shares in the last quarter. Koesten Hirschmann & Crabtree INC. raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 45.9% during the fourth quarter. Koesten Hirschmann & Crabtree INC. now owns 477 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $411,000 after buying an additional 150 shares in the last quarter. Texas Capital Bank Wealth Management Services Inc raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 6.5% during the fourth quarter. Texas Capital Bank Wealth Management Services Inc now owns 10,928 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $9,424,000 after buying an additional 663 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 10,388,519 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $8,919,573,000 after purchasing an additional 26,690 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Coordinated Financial Services Inc. grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 5.7% in the fourth quarter. Coordinated Financial Services Inc. now owns 1,340 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,155,000 after purchasing an additional 72 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. This trade represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Mizuho raised their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,065.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 16th. DA Davidson reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and issued a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, April 10th. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $1,192.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Tuesday, May 12th. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Evercore set a $1,100.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, March 2nd. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,052.60.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and media coverage remain constructive, with multiple firms reiterating bullish views and price targets implying upside if Costco delivers another solid quarter. Analyst Reaffirms Buy on Costco, Sees Attractive Upside with Unchanged $1,185 Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Pre-earnings commentary highlights strong monthly sales, membership growth, e-commerce gains, and higher gas prices potentially boosting traffic and top-line momentum. Costco Heads into Earnings with Monthly Sales Already Doing the Heavy Lifting
• Positive Sentiment: Some analysts are calling Costco a top defensive consumer stock, reinforcing its reputation as a steady performer in uncertain markets. Bernstein Calls Costco (COST) a Top Defensive Consumer Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple previews note that investors are largely waiting for Thursday’s earnings report to reset expectations, with the stock seen as capable of moving sharply depending on guidance and margin commentary. Here’s How Much Costco Stock Is Expected to Move After Earnings Q3 FY2026
• Neutral Sentiment: There was also a separate headline about an optical-services scheduling issue and a grapevine pest concern involving Costco-sold plants, but these appear limited in scope and are less likely to affect the broader investment thesis. Costco optical customers face frustration trying to schedule eye exams
• Negative Sentiment: Pre-earnings caution and valuation pressure are weighing on the shares, with some market watchers saying it may be prudent to wait for results rather than chase the stock now. Costco Q3 Preview: Stock Could Hit $1,200 Or Fall To $960, Market Expert Says ‘Prudent To Wait This One Out’
• Negative Sentiment: A federal jury verdict in a disability discrimination case raised legal and compliance concerns, creating a modest overhang ahead of earnings. Costco Discrimination Verdict Puts Legal And Compliance Risks In Focus

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 0.1%

Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $1,003.69 on Thursday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,096.50. The company has a market cap of $445.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 52.19, a P/E/G ratio of 4.93 and a beta of 0.92. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $1,008.29 and its 200-day moving average is $962.02. 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 released its earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The business had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $4.02 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.33 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st were given a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 30.58%.

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.