Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Stock: VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al Cuts Stake

VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al trimmed its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 65.4% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 21,787 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 41,120 shares during the period. VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $19,834,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of COST. First National Bank of Hutchinson increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.9% in the first quarter. First National Bank of Hutchinson now owns 1,098 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,094,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares during the period. Frisch Financial Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.0% during the first quarter. Frisch Financial Group Inc. now owns 1,049 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,045,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the period. Main Street Group LTD boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.8% during the first quarter. Main Street Group LTD now owns 1,226 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,221,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the period. HORAN Wealth LLC boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.3% during the first quarter. HORAN Wealth LLC now owns 803 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $769,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the period. Finally, SHUTTLEWORTH & Co grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 0.4% in the 1st quarter. SHUTTLEWORTH & Co now owns 2,442 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,433,000 after buying an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms recently commented on COST. Roth Capital restated a “sell” rating and issued a $781.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Argus reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $1,230.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, September 28th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,015.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, September 25th. CICC Research assumed coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Wednesday, October 21st. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $1,050.00 price target for the company. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised Costco Wholesale from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research note on Friday, October 23rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-four have assigned a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,086.19.

Insiders Place Their Bets

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

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 1.6%

Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $1,012.28 on Friday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $943.31 and a 200-day moving average of $970.25. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11. The firm has a market cap of $448.57 billion, a P/E ratio of 48.76, a P/E/G ratio of 4.33 and a beta of 0.88. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,096.50.

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

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

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

Costco Wholesale Company Profile

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.