Highline Wealth Partners LLC Cuts Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Highline Wealth Partners LLC lowered its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 46.8% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 3,956 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 3,477 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale accounts for 1.0% of Highline Wealth Partners LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 28th biggest position. Highline Wealth Partners LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $3,411,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Gunderson Capital Management Inc. increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 2.7% during the fourth quarter. Gunderson Capital Management Inc. now owns 460 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $397,000 after acquiring an additional 12 shares during the last quarter. Community Financial Services Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 19.2% in the 4th quarter. Community Financial Services Group LLC now owns 13,760 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $11,866,000 after purchasing an additional 2,217 shares during the period. KRS Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.5% in the 4th quarter. KRS Capital Management LLC now owns 792 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $683,000 after purchasing an additional 12 shares in the last quarter. Nikulski Financial Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 8.7% during the 4th quarter. Nikulski Financial Inc. now owns 13,824 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $11,921,000 after purchasing an additional 1,111 shares during the period. Finally, MFA Wealth Services grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.8% during the 4th quarter. MFA Wealth Services now owns 971 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $837,000 after purchasing an additional 26 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $996.43 on Wednesday. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $988.00 and its 200 day simple moving average is $939.28. The company has a market cap of $442.07 billion, a P/E ratio of 51.82, a PEG ratio of 4.92 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.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. 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 firm 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 business earned $4.02 EPS. Costco Wholesale’s quarterly revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 30th were given 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 of this dividend was Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is presently 27.04%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $916.32, for a total value of $1,374,480.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 8,240 shares in the company, valued at $7,550,476.80. The trade was a 15.40% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total transaction of $838,321.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 4,228 shares in the company, valued at $4,169,907.28. This represents a 16.74% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 5,038 shares of company stock valued at $4,790,896. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $1,125 price target, signaling analyst confidence and potential upside. Benzinga
• Positive Sentiment: Costco will roll out its first stand‑alone gas station to members (separate from warehouses), expanding a proven membership-acquisition tool that can drive traffic and renewals. Costco Will Soon Open Its First Stand-Alone Gas Station
• Positive Sentiment: High gas prices may actually benefit warehouse clubs like Costco by making fuel a loss leader that attracts memberships and in‑store spending, supporting same‑store traffic and retention. Surprising Beneficiaries of High Gas Prices
• Positive Sentiment: Costco plans aggressive warehouse expansion (~28 new warehouses in FY26), which supports long‑term revenue and membership growth assumptions. Warehouse Expansion Plans
• Positive Sentiment: High-profile endorsements (e.g., Jim Cramer calling Costco a buy in the current environment) and strong Q2 metrics (high renewal rates, comp sales beat) are sustaining investor appetite. Jim Cramer on Costco
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts remain split on near‑term sales momentum (March sales expected to climb but views differ), leaving some uncertainty around guidance and short‑term comps. Analyst Split on March Sales
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage pieces comparing Costco to Amazon and Walmart highlight Costco’s strong membership model but reiterate valuation risks versus peers — useful context but not new company‑specific news. Costco vs Amazon
• Negative Sentiment: Costco faces a lawsuit alleging it raised prices and then sought tariff refunds from the government — a legal/regulatory overhang that could create reputational or financial risk if it escalates. Lawsuit Over Prices and Tariff Refunds
• Negative Sentiment: Local consumer complaints (e.g., backlash over an “overpriced” new dessert) and commentary about lofty valuation (high forward P/E) remind investors that execution and PR missteps can weigh on sentiment. Members Furious Overpriced Dessert

Analysts Set New Price Targets

COST has been the topic of several research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,060.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Daiwa Securities Group boosted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 10th. TD Cowen reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Northcoast Research set a $1,100.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 24th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price 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.