Larson Financial Group LLC Increases Stock Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Larson Financial Group LLC increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 9.3% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 10,796 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 917 shares during the period. Larson Financial Group LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $9,993,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the second quarter valued at about $5,692,035,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 96,316.6% in the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,378,758 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,364,888,000 after acquiring an additional 1,377,328 shares during the period. Amundi grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 45.0% during the third quarter. Amundi now owns 3,176,606 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,893,697,000 after acquiring an additional 986,182 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in 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 acquiring an additional 711,560 shares during the period. Finally, Invesco Ltd. increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 9.8% during the 2nd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,291,557 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $4,248,384,000 after acquiring an additional 383,887 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have commented on COST shares. Guggenheim reissued a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Bank of America began coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, February 27th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $1,185.00 price target on the stock. BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Gordon Haskett boosted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Twenty-two 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. Based on data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,039.13.

Insider Activity

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

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 0.7%

Shares of COST opened at $1,001.74 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $444.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.09, a PEG ratio of 5.10 and a beta of 1.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 1.06. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,067.08. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $978.04 and a 200-day moving average price of $937.45.

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

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

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

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan raised its tone on Costco following recent fiscal results and increased its price target, signaling confidence in Costco’s topline momentum and membership-driven margins — a catalyst for continued investor interest. JPMorgan Bullish on Costco Wholesale (COST) Following Fiscal Q2 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Several long-form pieces argue Costco still has durable growth and premium membership economics that could support large market-cap expansion over the next several years — a bullish narrative for buy-and-hold investors. Will Costco Wholesale Stock Join the Trillion-Dollar Club by 2030?
• Positive Sentiment: Comparisons with other defensive, wide-moat consumer names (e.g., Coca‑Cola) and lists recommending Costco as a buy-and-hold reinforce steady demand from long-term investors and support multiple expansion. Best Stock to Buy and Hold Forever: Costco vs. Coca-Cola
• Positive Sentiment: MarketBeat and others continue to flag COST as a potential stock-split candidate given its >$1,000 price — a split could broaden retail demand and improve liquidity if announced. 3 Stocks That Could Be Next to Announce a Stock Split
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage pieces and screeners (Zacks, InsiderMonkey) have featured COST as a quality retail pick; useful for sentiment but less likely to move the stock materially by themselves. Beat the Market the Zacks Way: IPG Photonics, Celanese, Costco in Focus
• Neutral Sentiment: Small operational/product updates (e.g., online custom cake ordering) and minor portfolio moves by advisers are low-impact items that support convenience and steady sales but won’t change fundamentals. Costco now lets you order custom cakes online — here’s how it works
• Negative Sentiment: Costco issued recalls for prepared meatloaf meals over potential Salmonella contamination (multiple local health alerts and national notices). Recalls can depress short‑term foot traffic, raise remediation costs, and attract negative media — a near‑term drag on sentiment. Costco recalls prepared meatloaf meals over possible Salmonella risk
• Negative Sentiment: Competitive improvements at Sam’s Club (fixing pain points that have favored Costco) are being highlighted in the press — any persistent market-share shift or promotional aggression could pressure margins or membership momentum. Sam’s Club fixes problem that’s a major pain point at Costco

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.