Cetera Investment Advisers Has $240.40 Million Stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Cetera Investment Advisers lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 0.7% during the first quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 241,260 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 1,712 shares during the quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers’ holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $240,399,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at about $31,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at about $33,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have recently commented on COST. Citigroup initiated coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, June 18th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $1,020.00 price objective on the stock. Telsey Advisory Group raised their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. UBS Group upped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 20th. Roth Capital raised their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Finally, Bank of America upped their target price on shares of 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. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,059.07.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of COST stock opened at $927.31 on Thursday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,096.50. The company has a market capitalization of $411.24 billion, a P/E ratio of 46.65, a P/E/G ratio of 4.49 and a beta of 0.88. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $970.49 and a two-hundred day moving average of $979.74. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17.

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

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

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

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 4,779 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. This trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentators continue to highlight Costco’s durable earnings growth, strong membership model, and long-term upside potential, with some articles arguing the stock could eventually move toward much higher valuations. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Costco expanded its business footprint by launching its first standalone members-only gas station in Mission Viejo, California, which reinforces its growth strategy beyond traditional warehouse sites. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Recent coverage also points to continued store expansion, including reports that more Costco locations are coming in 2026, while local officials say a new store could bring meaningful tax revenue to Clarksville. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is also broadening its value proposition through new services and products, including expanded pharmacy/prescription offerings and the addition of Laifen hair dryers in select U.S. stores, which may help drive traffic and membership retention. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Several articles were broadly positive on Costco’s brand and long-term investment case, including a Zacks analyst roundup and bullish “trillion club” projections, but they did not appear to include new company-specific catalysts for today’s trading. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Some commentary noted Costco members are paying more for memberships because added perks are viewed as worth the cost, which supports the business model but is not an immediate catalyst. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: One article highlighted that Costco has faced three lawsuits this year, which could add legal and reputational overhang even if the cases are not yet financially material. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Some investor commentary remains cautious on valuation, noting that Costco already trades at a premium and that another warehouse competitor may offer better upside, which can temper enthusiasm for the shares. Article Title

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.