Patton Albertson Miller Group LLC Acquires 1,768 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Patton Albertson Miller Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 100.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 3,534 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,768 shares during the quarter. Patton Albertson Miller Group LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $3,271,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of COST. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings 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 buying an additional 711,560 shares during the period. State Street Corp raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 0.5% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 18,325,416 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $18,141,062,000 after acquiring an additional 90,107 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 1.5% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 10,275,056 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $10,124,263,000 after acquiring an additional 150,844 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth $5,692,035,000. Finally, Invesco Ltd. boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 9.8% during the second quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,291,557 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $4,248,384,000 after acquiring an additional 383,887 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 sale, the executive vice president directly owned 8,240 shares in the company, valued at $7,550,476.80. This trade represents a 15.40% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 2,400 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, November 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $930.13, for a total transaction of $2,232,312.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 2,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,860,260. This trade represents a 54.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last quarter, insiders sold 9,315 shares of company stock valued at $8,549,409. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 0.8%

Shares of COST stock opened at $952.89 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $422.96 billion, a P/E ratio of 51.04, a P/E/G ratio of 5.74 and a beta of 1.02. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,078.23. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $905.68 and a 200 day moving average price of $929.87.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.27 by $0.07. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 29.35% and a net margin of 2.96%.The business had revenue of $67.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $67.03 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $4.04 EPS. Costco Wholesale’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Friday, January 30th will be issued a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is currently 27.85%.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco announced its next dividend payment (record/paid schedule) that supports income-focused holders and underscores predictable cash returns for shareholders. Costco to pay dividends on February 13
• Positive Sentiment: Brokerage coverage remains constructive with an average rating of “Moderate Buy,” which can limit downside from coordinated selling and supports investor confidence. Given Average Rating of Moderate Buy
• Positive Sentiment: High-profile bullish commentary (e.g., Jim Cramer) and multiple long-term bullish write-ups reinforce the narrative that Costco’s membership model and warehouse expansion remain durable drivers for growth. These narratives can attract longer-term buyers. Jim Cramer Says “I Want You to Stay With Costco”
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage highlighting Costco as a momentum/long-term growth stock reiterates positives (same-store sales, new warehouses), but these are largely reiterations rather than new catalysts. Why Costco is a Top Momentum Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Reported short-interest data in recent feeds is inconsistent/erroneous (zeros/NaN) and should not be treated as a reliable signal on current positioning. (No link — data summary.)
• Negative Sentiment: A proposed class-action lawsuit alleges Costco’s $5 rotisserie chickens are not preservative‑free, claiming use of sodium phosphate and carrageenan; this raises legal, settlement and reputational risks tied to a high‑volume, signature product. Such suits can pressure near-term sentiment and valuation multiples. Costco Is Sued Over Preservatives in Its $5 Rotisserie Chickens
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple outlets amplify the lawsuit story (local filing in San Diego), increasing media attention and potential customer PR impact — a headline risk that likely contributed to today’s selloff. Costco accused of deceiving shoppers
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst/peer-compare pieces argue competitors like Dollar General may offer more upside given turnaround and real‑estate/digital initiatives — a narrative that can cap multiple expansion for Costco given its already-premium valuation. Costco vs. Dollar General: Which is the better buy?

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages recently weighed in on COST. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,025.00 to $1,027.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, December 12th. 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 report on Friday, December 12th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, December 29th. BTIG Research initiated coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Tuesday, October 14th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $1,115.00 price target for the company. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $1,044.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Twenty-one investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $996.00.

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.