von Borstel & Associates Inc. Has $4.40 Million Stock Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

von Borstel & Associates Inc. lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 696.0% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 4,808 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 4,204 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale accounts for approximately 0.7% of von Borstel & Associates Inc.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 27th biggest holding. von Borstel & Associates Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $4,401,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Soundwatch Capital LLC boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 635.7% during the 2nd quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC now owns 2,553 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 2,206 shares during the last quarter. Hurley Capital LLC raised 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 acquiring an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Collier Financial bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at approximately $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 beat and membership strength: Costco reported stronger-than-expected FQ2 results (revenue and EPS beats) and management highlighted membership growth and traffic as key drivers, underpinning confidence in recurring fee income and sales momentum. Costco Reports $68.24B FQ2 Sales
• Positive Sentiment: Membership mix and premium sign‑ups: Executive membership growth (near 40M members, +~9%) supports higher-margin recurring fee income and may sustain revenue per member. This is a structural tailwind for margins and cash flow. Is a $130 Costco executive membership the new VIP status?
• Positive Sentiment: In‑warehouse innovation and product drops: Expanded in‑warehouse experiences, curated product drops (e.g., fashion/brand collaborations) and new assortments (including third‑party brands like Hiboy e‑bikes) are helping traffic and impulse sales. Costco Expands In‑Warehouse Experiences Hiboy C1 E‑Bike Lands at Costco
• Neutral Sentiment: Digital growth and traffic resilience: Management says digital sales and e‑commerce expansion remain contributors to growth, but macro headwinds (e.g., energy-driven pressure on discretionary budgets) add uncertainty to near‑term sales cadence. Costco Says Shoppers Are Still Spending Rising gas prices could offset tax refunds
• Neutral Sentiment: Insider sale: An EVP disclosed a sale of ~730 shares; the size is immaterial relative to Costco’s market cap and does not signal a clear change in insider confidence. Executive Form 4
• Negative Sentiment: Tariff‑refund lawsuits create legal overhang: Multiple proposed class‑action suits allege Costco must pass along refunds to customers after the Supreme Court struck down certain Trump‑era tariffs; plaintiffs seek substantial recoveries and class status, introducing potential liability, administrative burden and PR risk until resolved. Reuters: Costco customers sue
• Negative Sentiment: Complex legal landscape: Coverage notes the situation is “messy” — Costco has also pursued government action to recover tariff amounts, but parallel suits against the company could keep volatility and headline risk elevated until legal outcomes and any government refunds are clarified. Barron’s: Tariff refunds are getting messy

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $1,008.43 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The stock has a market capitalization of $447.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.07 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $975.52 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $937.17. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,067.08.

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

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have recently commented on COST shares. Evercore set a $1,100.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, March 2nd. Raymond James Financial upped their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Bank of America initiated coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, February 27th. They set a “buy” rating and a $1,185.00 target price for the company. Telsey Advisory Group boosted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,125.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,039.13.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total value of $732,204.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of Costco Wholesale 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 sale, the executive vice president directly owned 44,837 shares in the company, valued at $42,101,943. This trade represents a 3.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 7,645 shares of company stock valued at $7,049,302. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

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.