R Squared Ltd Has $2.20 Million Stock Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

R Squared Ltd lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 978.6% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 2,373 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 2,153 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale accounts for approximately 0.9% of R Squared Ltd’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 11th largest holding. R Squared Ltd’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $2,197,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 4.4% during the 2nd quarter. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC now owns 262 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $259,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the period. Busey Bank grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.4% during the 3rd quarter. Busey Bank now owns 2,651 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,454,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the period. Pasadena Private Wealth LLC raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.8% during the third quarter. Pasadena Private Wealth LLC now owns 1,403 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,299,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Tandem Investment Partners LLC lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.1% in the third quarter. Tandem Investment Partners LLC now owns 990 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $916,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the period. Finally, Optima Capital LLC boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.9% in the third quarter. Optima Capital LLC now owns 1,192 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,104,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Javier Polit sold 558 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $862.89, for a total value of $481,492.62. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 10,190 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,792,849.10. This represents a 5.19% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total value of $838,321.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 4,228 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,169,907.28. This trade represents a 16.74% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold a total of 6,915 shares of company stock worth $6,317,097 in the last ninety days. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 0.8%

NASDAQ:COST opened at $986.74 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,067.08. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $945.05 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $935.19. The stock has a market cap of $437.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.85, a PEG ratio of 5.24 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a current ratio of 1.04, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.27 by $0.07. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 29.35% and a net margin of 2.96%.The business had revenue of $67.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $67.03 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $4.04 EPS. Costco Wholesale’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Friday, January 30th were issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 27.85%.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Citi raised its price target to $1,000 (from $990), citing modest same‑store sales and an earnings beat — a near‑term vote of confidence from an influential sell‑side shop. Citi Raises Costco (COST) Price Target to $1,000 from $990
• Positive Sentiment: Supreme Court action on IEEPA tariffs and FedEx’s statement that it will return any tariff refunds reduces a key cost/uncertainty risk for import‑reliant retailers like Costco. That legal resolution is supportive for margins and inventory planning. FedEx says it will return to customers any refunds it gets back from Trump’s illegal tariffs
• Positive Sentiment: Local expansion: municipal/state approvals for new Costco locations in Lawrence and Southborough signal continued store growth and membership acquisition opportunities in those markets. (Supports long‑term revenue footprint.) A new Costco will be built in Lawrence — the city’s first. Here’s what to know Costco proposal in Southborough earns state approval. What’s next
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst and retail‑sector commentary (Zacks, TipRanks, The Motley Fool) highlights Costco as a defensive/quality retail play with a recent valuation reset that some view as a buying opportunity — useful context but not an immediate catalyst. Costco and 3 More Discount Retail Stocks Investors Should Watch Now Costco Stock (COST) Is Still a Great Buy after Valuation Reset
• Neutral Sentiment: Operational/consumer items (new food‑court menu, expanded brand assortment) support traffic and membership retention but are incremental rather than market moving. Costco launches new food court treat to rival McDonalds
• Negative Sentiment: Macro and tariff risks remain a concern per deeper analyses that argue external policy or import disruptions could still pressure margins or force SKU changes — a watch item for investors despite the recent court ruling. Costco: Macro/Tariff Risks Persist – Further Consolidation Likely
• Negative Sentiment: Legal risk: two class‑action suits over the $4.99 rotisserie chicken could create reputational noise and small legal costs; unlikely to be material to long‑term earnings but a near‑term headline risk. Costco’s $4.99 Rotisserie Chicken Is Facing 2 Class-Action Lawsuits

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

COST has been the subject of several recent research reports. HSBC dropped 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 research report on Friday, December 12th. BMO Capital Markets reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, December 12th. Telsey Advisory Group reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $1,100.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. DA Davidson restated a “neutral” rating and set a $1,000.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Twenty-one equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,008.07.

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.