Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Stake Raised by Certuity LLC

Certuity LLC raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 143.3% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 4,698 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 2,767 shares during the quarter. Certuity LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $4,348,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in COST. Soundwatch Capital LLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 635.7% during the second quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC now owns 2,553 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 2,206 shares during the last quarter. Hurley Capital LLC grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in 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 last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter worth approximately $34,000. Collier Financial bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at $36,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 results and commentary showed continued momentum — revenue and EPS beat estimates, management cited membership/traffic gains and price management that supported sales. Costco Reports $68.24B FQ2 Sales
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support is lifting sentiment — BMO and other shops have raised targets or reiterated Outperform/Buy ratings after the quarter, helping offset headline risk. BMO Sees Costco as Stable Bet
• Positive Sentiment: Operational tailwinds: new warehouse openings, expanded in‑warehouse experiences and viral product drops (e.g., Off‑White hoodies) are driving foot traffic and membership engagement. Off‑White Hoodies Spark Frenzy Liberty Hill Costco Opening
• Neutral Sentiment: Daiwa and other firms tweaked targets (some higher) while keeping conservative ratings in some cases — a modest vote of confidence but not uniformly bullish. Daiwa Adjusts Price Target
• Neutral Sentiment: Insider activity: an EVP disclosed the sale of ~730 shares — small relative to Costco’s market cap and unlikely to drive the move on its own. Executive Form 4
• Negative Sentiment: Legal overhang: a proposed nationwide class action alleges Costco must pass along tariff refunds to customers after the Supreme Court voided certain Trump‑era tariffs — plaintiffs seek broad relief and this creates uncertainty over potential liabilities, refunds, and reputational risk. Reuters: Costco customers sue MSN: Costco Sued Over Tariffs
• Negative Sentiment: Negative framing in some outlets suggests the suits could pressure Costco’s low‑margin model if rulings force refunds or changes to pricing practices; outcome and exposure remain uncertain and litigation could be a headline risk. 24/7 Wall St: Profit Model Threatened
• Negative Sentiment: Macro/commodity risks (Gulf tensions, oil spike) could weigh on consumer sentiment and fuel costs — a potential headwind for retailers if sustained. Heard on the Street: Gulf Worries

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

COST opened at $1,003.23 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $445.30 billion, a P/E ratio of 52.17, a PEG ratio of 5.01 and a beta of 1.01. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $972.44 and a 200-day moving average of $936.70. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,067.08.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.Costco Wholesale’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $4.02 earnings per share. Equities analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

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

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 9th. The shares were 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 directly owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This trade represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $939.00, for a total transaction of $1,408,500.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 44,837 shares in the company, valued at $42,101,943. The trade was a 3.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 7,645 shares of company stock worth $7,049,302. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have recently weighed in on COST. HSBC reduced their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,045.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Northcoast Research set a $1,100.00 target price on Costco Wholesale and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 24th. Truist Financial increased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $926.00 to $977.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,171.00 to $1,088.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,039.13.

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.