Norden Group LLC Grows Stock Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Norden Group LLC raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 16.6% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 4,457 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 633 shares during the period. Norden Group LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $3,844,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 49.3% during the 3rd quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated now owns 3,780 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,499,000 after buying an additional 1,248 shares during the period. Permanent Capital Management LP purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth $874,000. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 43.6% in the 3rd quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 23,444 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $21,700,000 after buying an additional 7,116 shares during the period. FORA Capital LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at $2,781,000. Finally, Lombard Odier Asset Management Switzerland SA boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 8.9% in the second quarter. Lombard Odier Asset Management Switzerland SA now owns 18,132 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $17,950,000 after acquiring an additional 1,480 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 14th. The stock was 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 of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $42,101,943. The trade was a 3.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Susan L. Decker sold 458 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $955.00, for a total value of $437,390.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 8,532 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,148,060. This trade represents a 5.09% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 7,645 shares of company stock valued at $7,049,302. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 0.5%

NASDAQ COST opened at $979.65 on Friday. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $986.29 and its 200-day simple moving average is $939.17. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,067.08. 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 stock has a market cap of $434.62 billion, a P/E ratio of 50.94, a PEG ratio of 4.81 and a beta of 1.01.

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

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed 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 of this dividend was Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is presently 27.04%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have commented on the company. Rothschild & Co Redburn upped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 17th. DA Davidson reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and issued a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, March 6th. HSBC decreased their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,045.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Friday, December 12th. Bank of America initiated coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, February 27th. They set a “buy” rating and a $1,185.00 target price for the company. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,039.13.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco is testing standalone gas stations, a move that could deepen its membership moat by turning fuel into a traffic and retention tool, supporting long‑term comps and membership revenue. Costco Is Launching Standalone Gas Stations. Why the Heck Does Wall Street Care?
• Positive Sentiment: Rising gas prices are likely to benefit Costco because its low pump pricing drives membership signups/renewals and consistent store traffic — making fuel a strategic advantage rather than a profit center. Will Rising Gas Prices Send Costco’s Stock Higher?
• Positive Sentiment: Erste Group raised its FY2026 and FY2027 EPS forecasts (FY2026 → $20.43; FY2027 → $22.47), signaling stronger-than-expected profit momentum versus consensus — a direct bullish catalyst for earnings expectations. Erste Group Raises Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: New Kirkland‑branded energy drinks are drawing strong member interest and are pressuring rivals (e.g., Celsius), showing Costco can use private‑label launches to win share and margin—a tailwind for sales and membership value. Why Costco’s cheap new Kirkland energy drink won’t crush Celsius
• Positive Sentiment: Local expansion: Costco secured a Polaris site in Columbus, adding capacity in a growth market and signaling continued store footprint growth that supports membership gains over time. Costco Grabs Polaris Plot For Bigger Columbus Footprint
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts remain broadly bullish with a consensus price target near $1,100, but the coverage notes increasing concerns around membership-growth trends and the stock’s valuation — mixed signals for near‑term momentum. Analysts Bullish on Costco Despite Concerns
• Neutral Sentiment: Product/competition coverage (press and ETFs): commentary about the COSW covered‑call ETF and media pieces on Costco deals/products may influence sentiment but don’t alter fundamentals. COSW Sells Away Costco’s Upside
• Neutral Sentiment: Regulatory/consumer refund watch: FedEx, Costco and UPS are named as targets for consumer tariff refund programs — could produce one‑time benefits but uncertain impact. FedEx, Costco, UPS Are Main Targets for Consumer Tariff Refunds
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation risk: COST trades at a premium multiple (PE ~51, PEG ~4.8) — strong execution is already priced in, so any slowdown in membership growth or comp traffic could pressure the stock despite positive operational news. Analysts Flag Membership & Valuation Risks

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.