Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KS Reduces Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KS lowered its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 2.0% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 97,946 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 2,006 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale makes up about 1.8% of Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KS’s portfolio, making the stock its 6th biggest position. Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KS’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $84,463,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Hurley Capital LLC lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 18 shares during the period. Joseph Group Capital Management purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth $34,000. Collier Financial purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth $36,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

COST has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. UBS Group set a $1,175.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, March 6th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and set a $1,050.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an “outperform” rating and set a $1,155.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, February 9th. Roth Mkm restated a “sell” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Finally, TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, March 6th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,045.97.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of COST opened at $1,011.70 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,067.08. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $996.93 and a 200-day moving average price of $949.91. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The firm has a market cap of $448.84 billion, a PE ratio of 52.61, a P/E/G ratio of 5.00 and a beta of 0.92.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate 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 analyst estimates of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $4.02 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st will be issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 27.04%.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Amy’s Kitchen will roll select frozen meals into more than 150 Costco warehouses across key U.S. markets, expanding fresh/organic assortment and potentially boosting food sales and member engagement. Amy’s Kitchen Lands Costco Distribution in Three Major Markets, Bringing Organic Frozen Meals to Millions of Members
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is hiring ahead of a new Guilderland, NY warehouse opening — a sign of continued unit growth that supports revenue and membership expansion over time. Costco begins hiring as opening of Guilderland warehouse nears
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst/market pieces highlight Costco’s strong membership metrics and ability to convert members to higher-fee Executive tiers, supporting recurring revenue and margins. This ongoing narrative underpins bullish views despite macro uncertainty. Better Buy: Walmart or Costco Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Costco received recognition in TIME’s influential companies coverage, reinforcing brand strength that supports long-term customer loyalty and pricing power. Costco Wholesale
• Neutral Sentiment: Retail-focused stories on seasonal merchandise and promotions (patio furniture roundups, a Dyson sale) reflect normal merchandising and traffic drivers but are routine and unlikely to move fundamentals by themselves. 9 Costco Patio Dining Furniture Sets To Look For In 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco quietly changed elements of its long-standing $1.50 hot dog combo (product tweaks, price intact), a brand-story item that signals attention to costs but keeps the iconic price point. Costco changed the hot dog combo after 40 years. Is it still $1.50? Here’s what to know
• Negative Sentiment: Several pieces question whether COST’s strong YTD performance and premium valuation leave ample upside from current levels, highlighting its high P/E and recent run — a valuation headwind that can pressure the stock if growth expectations slip. Is It Too Late To Consider Costco Wholesale (COST) After Its Strong Year To Date Run?

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

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.