Aristotle Atlantic Partners LLC Sells 9,045 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Aristotle Atlantic Partners LLC reduced its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 11.2% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 71,487 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 9,045 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale makes up 1.9% of Aristotle Atlantic Partners LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 14th biggest holding. Aristotle Atlantic Partners LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $66,170,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in COST. Arkos Global Advisors grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 13.2% during the third quarter. Arkos Global Advisors now owns 796 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $737,000 after purchasing an additional 93 shares in the last quarter. Algert Global LLC raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 10.9% in the third quarter. Algert Global LLC now owns 9,730 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $9,006,000 after purchasing an additional 957 shares in the last quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 22.8% in the third quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 119,524 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $110,635,000 after purchasing an additional 22,197 shares in the last quarter. SummitTX Capital L.P. bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at approximately $436,000. Finally, Zacks Investment Management lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.4% during the third quarter. Zacks Investment Management now owns 39,928 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $36,959,000 after purchasing an additional 159 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 0.5%

COST stock opened at $1,008.43 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $447.61 billion, a PE ratio of 52.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.10 and a beta of 1.01. 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 Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,067.08. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $975.52 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $937.14.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its quarterly earnings data 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 company had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $4.02 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 30th were given a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is presently 27.04%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated 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 completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 8,240 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,550,476.80. The trade was a 15.40% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Susan L. Decker sold 458 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $955.00, for a total value of $437,390.00. Following the sale, the director owned 8,532 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $8,148,060. This represents a 5.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 7,645 shares of company stock valued at $7,049,302. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 beat and membership strength: Costco reported stronger-than-expected FQ2 results (revenue and EPS beats) and management highlighted membership growth and traffic as key drivers, underpinning confidence in recurring fee income and sales momentum. Costco Reports $68.24B FQ2 Sales
• Positive Sentiment: Membership mix and premium sign‑ups: Executive membership growth (near 40M members, +~9%) supports higher-margin recurring fee income and may sustain revenue per member. This is a structural tailwind for margins and cash flow. Is a $130 Costco executive membership the new VIP status?
• Positive Sentiment: In‑warehouse innovation and product drops: Expanded in‑warehouse experiences, curated product drops (e.g., fashion/brand collaborations) and new assortments (including third‑party brands like Hiboy e‑bikes) are helping traffic and impulse sales. Costco Expands In‑Warehouse Experiences Hiboy C1 E‑Bike Lands at Costco
• Neutral Sentiment: Digital growth and traffic resilience: Management says digital sales and e‑commerce expansion remain contributors to growth, but macro headwinds (e.g., energy-driven pressure on discretionary budgets) add uncertainty to near‑term sales cadence. Costco Says Shoppers Are Still Spending Rising gas prices could offset tax refunds
• Neutral Sentiment: Insider sale: An EVP disclosed a sale of ~730 shares; the size is immaterial relative to Costco’s market cap and does not signal a clear change in insider confidence. Executive Form 4
• Negative Sentiment: Tariff‑refund lawsuits create legal overhang: Multiple proposed class‑action suits allege Costco must pass along refunds to customers after the Supreme Court struck down certain Trump‑era tariffs; plaintiffs seek substantial recoveries and class status, introducing potential liability, administrative burden and PR risk until resolved. Reuters: Costco customers sue
• Negative Sentiment: Complex legal landscape: Coverage notes the situation is “messy” — Costco has also pursued government action to recover tariff amounts, but parallel suits against the company could keep volatility and headline risk elevated until legal outcomes and any government refunds are clarified. Barron’s: Tariff refunds are getting messy

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

COST has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $1,050.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Hovde Group started coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Tuesday, November 18th. They set a “market perform” rating and a $16.00 price objective for the company. Rothschild & Co Redburn upped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Oppenheimer increased their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,039.13.

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.