International Assets Investment Management LLC Acquires 14,584 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

International Assets Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 196.7% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 22,000 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 14,584 shares during the quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $20,027,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Contravisory Investment Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 107.7% in the third quarter. Contravisory Investment Management Inc. now owns 27 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 14 shares in the last quarter. C M Bidwell & Associates Ltd. purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the second quarter valued at $28,000. Burk Holdings LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth $30,000. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth $30,000. Finally, John Boyer Inc. acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth $32,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have issued reports on COST. Roth Capital reaffirmed a “sell” rating and issued a $781.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, September 25th. DA Davidson raised their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,040.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, September 25th. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,130.00 to $1,100.00 in a research note on Friday, September 25th. Tigress Financial increased their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,065.00 to $1,250.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 15th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Twenty-five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,086.19.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,200 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $915.93, for a total transaction of $2,015,046.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 7,134 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,534,244.62. This trade represents a 23.57% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 1,100 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $958.21, for a total value of $1,054,031.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 3,094 shares in the company, valued at $2,964,701.74. This trade represents a 26.23% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Store expansion supports long-term growth. Costco plans to open 13 locations by the end of 2026, potentially expanding its membership base and sales footprint. Costco opening 13 locations by end of 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Membership acquisition remains a focus. A promotional offer providing new members with a $45 gift card could help drive sign-ups ahead of the holiday shopping season, supporting recurring membership-fee revenue. Costco membership Black Friday deal
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect continued earnings momentum. Costco’s upcoming fiscal first-quarter 2027 report is expected to show double-digit year-over-year EPS growth. Its latest quarter also beat consensus estimates on both earnings and revenue. What to expect from Costco Wholesale’s next quarterly earnings report
• Positive Sentiment: Customer loyalty and digital engagement remain strengths. Coverage highlights near-record renewal rates, busy warehouses, a younger shopper base and growing use of Costco’s digital channels. These factors reinforce the company’s competitive advantages and long-term sales potential. The New Costco Shopper Is Under 40
• Neutral Sentiment: Healthcare partnerships could deepen member engagement. Integrations with NationsBenefits and SCAN Health Plan are expanding Costco’s role in Medicare-related spending across more than 600 U.S. warehouses, though the financial contribution is not yet clear. Medicare push and Costco investors
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation leaves little room for disappointment. Costco trades at roughly 49 times earnings, making execution and upcoming results especially important. Analysts remain positive, but the stock’s premium valuation could amplify downside if growth slows. Costco stock’s long-term competitive advantages

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $1,012.28 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $448.57 billion, a P/E ratio of 48.76, a P/E/G ratio of 4.26 and a beta of 0.88. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,096.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $943.31 and its two-hundred day moving average is $970.25.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, September 24th. The retailer reported $6.75 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.54 by $0.21. The company had revenue of $95.72 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $94.97 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.04% and a return on equity of 27.60%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 11.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $5.87 earnings per share. Research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 22.70 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Investors of record on Friday, October 30th will be given a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, October 30th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 28.32%.

About Costco Wholesale

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a membership-based warehouse retail business under the Costco name. The company sells merchandise in bulk and at competitive prices through warehouse clubs and e-commerce platforms, serving individual consumers, businesses and other organizations.

Its product selection includes groceries and fresh foods, household supplies, appliances, electronics, furniture, apparel, health and beauty products, jewelry, automotive products and prescription drugs. Costco also provides services such as optical care, pharmacy services, hearing-aid sales, travel offerings and fuel sales, depending on location.

The company traces its roots to Price Club, which opened in San Diego in 1976.