Jain Global LLC Purchases New Shares in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Jain Global LLC acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund acquired 17,584 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $16,276,000.

Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 49.3% during the third quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated now owns 3,780 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,499,000 after purchasing an additional 1,248 shares in the last quarter. Permanent Capital Management LP purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth about $874,000. Wealthspire Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.0% during the second quarter. Wealthspire Advisors LLC now owns 15,799 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $15,640,000 after purchasing an additional 312 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.7% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 43,356,271 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $42,920,107,000 after purchasing an additional 711,560 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Exchange Traded Concepts LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 43.6% during the 3rd quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 23,444 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $21,700,000 after purchasing an additional 7,116 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 0.5%

COST stock opened at $1,008.43 on Monday. 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 50-day moving average of $975.52 and a two-hundred day moving average of $937.05. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,067.08. The company has a market cap of $447.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.44, a PEG ratio of 5.10 and a beta of 1.00.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its earnings results 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 for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $4.02 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed 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. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 30th. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is 27.04%.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan reiterated bullish views and raised its post-quarter outlook/price guidance following Costco’s fiscal Q2 results, reinforcing analyst support for the stock. JPMorgan Bullish on Costco Wholesale (COST) Following Fiscal Q2 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is opening six new U.S. locations in March–April, supporting longer-term revenue and member growth from incremental store capacity. Costco is opening 6 new stores in March & April: Here’s where they are
• Positive Sentiment: Costco expanded member services with online custom cake ordering — a small revenue/engagement lift but a visible consumer-facing improvement. Costco now lets you order custom cakes online — here’s how it works
• Neutral Sentiment: MarketBeat included COST among names that could announce a stock split — a psychological positive if pursued, but speculative until the company acts. 3 Stocks That Could Be Next to Announce a Stock Split
• Neutral Sentiment: Retail-focused writeups (The Motley Fool / other outlets) continue to list Costco among long-term retail/warehouse winners — supportive for buy-and-hold sentiment but not an immediate catalyst. The Best 4 Retail Stocks to Buy and Hold for Decades
• Neutral Sentiment: Small institutional activity: Allium Financial Advisors disclosed a modest sale of 863 shares — not material to fundamentals but worth noting for ownership flows. Allium Financial Advisors LLC Sells 863 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST
• Negative Sentiment: Costco recalled prepared meatloaf meals sold in Hawaii over a possible Salmonella contamination — an operational and reputational risk that can dent local sales, invite regulatory scrutiny, and prompt extra product and labor costs. This recall is the primary near‑term negative driving sentiment. Costco recalls prepared meatloaf meals over possible Salmonella risk
• Negative Sentiment: Competitive pressure: Sam’s Club reportedly fixed an issue that had been a “major pain point” for Costco shoppers — a reminder that rivals can erode share if Costco’s in-store experience lags. Sam’s Club fixes problem that’s a major pain point at Costco
• Negative Sentiment: Cost pressures: Management flagged that Middle East tensions could lift costs (fuel, freight), which would pressure margins if inflation passes through to COGS. Costco warns Middle East tensions could hit costs

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction on Friday, January 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $916.32, for a total transaction of $1,374,480.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 8,240 shares in the company, valued at $7,550,476.80. The trade was a 15.40% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total transaction of $838,321.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 4,228 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,169,907.28. The trade was a 16.74% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 7,645 shares of company stock valued at $7,049,302 in the last three months. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on COST shares. HSBC lowered their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,045.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, December 12th. BTIG Research restated a “buy” rating and issued a $1,115.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Roth Mkm reaffirmed a “sell” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Rothschild & Co Redburn boosted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Finally, Hovde Group assumed coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Tuesday, November 18th. They issued a “market perform” rating and a $16.00 price objective for the company. 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 data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,039.13.

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.