Oslo Pensjonsforsikring AS Buys Shares of 1,471 Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Oslo Pensjonsforsikring AS purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) in the first quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor purchased 1,471 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $1,466,000.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth about $28,000. Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth approximately $33,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco is being praised for its long runway for expansion, with analysts pointing to plans for 26 net-new warehouses in fiscal 2026 and a broader international pipeline. Why Costco’s Warehouse Growth Story Is Far From Over
• Positive Sentiment: New store-opening reports, including more locations coming in 2026 and a new Clarksville site, reinforce Costco’s continued footprint expansion and should support revenue growth expectations. 8 more Costco stores are coming in 2026. Is Ohio getting one? Costco coming to Freedom Farms in Clarksville
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s pharmacy and prescription-service expansion could make memberships more valuable and increase customer loyalty and visit frequency. Costco expands pharmacy, prescription services for members
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage around new premium items, such as Laifen hair dryers in stores, suggests Costco is still expanding its product assortment and strengthening its appeal to higher-spending members. Costco (COST) Brings Laifen Hair Dryer To Stores In Its Biggest US Retail Push
• Neutral Sentiment: Several articles framed Costco as a strong long-term compounder and a potential future trillion-dollar company, which is supportive sentiment but not a near-term catalyst. Prediction: Costco Will Join the $1 Trillion Club by 2033
• Neutral Sentiment: Other commentary focused on Costco as a high-quality dividend or retirement holding, while also noting valuation concerns versus peers; this keeps the stock in the spotlight but does not change the business outlook immediately. Costco Is a Compelling Investment Opportunity, but This Stock Could Be an Even Better Buy Costco Is a No-Brainer Buy for Retirement Investors Right Now
• Negative Sentiment: Some coverage highlighted that COST has pulled back from recent highs and remains expensive on earnings metrics, which may be weighing on near-term trading. Price Prediction: Will Costco Hit a New-High This Year?
• Negative Sentiment: One report noted the stock edged lower even as Costco reportedly plans standalone gas stations, suggesting investors may be taking a cautious approach to the expansion news. Costco Stock (COST) Drops despite Bet on Stand-Alone Gas Stations in Sales Push

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total value of $847,343.25. Following the sale, the director owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 0.7%

COST opened at $929.22 on Wednesday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,096.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.61. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $972.60 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $979.28. The firm has a market capitalization of $412.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.74, a PEG ratio of 4.52 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.The business had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $4.28 earnings per share. Analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 7th. Investors of record on Friday, July 24th will be paid a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 29.58%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

COST has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Citigroup began coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $1,020.00 price target for the company. Bank of America raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Telsey Advisory Group lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Finally, Oppenheimer boosted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 19th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,059.07.

About Costco Wholesale

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.