Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Position Trimmed by GSA Capital Partners LLP

GSA Capital Partners LLP trimmed its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 27.4% in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 2,538 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 960 shares during the quarter. GSA Capital Partners LLP’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $2,349,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Soundwatch Capital LLC increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 635.7% in the second quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC now owns 2,553 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 2,206 shares during the last quarter. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 2nd quarter worth about $31,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at about $34,000. Collier Financial bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter worth approximately $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

COST has been the subject of several recent research reports. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,218.00 to $1,171.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Northcoast Research set a $1,100.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,050.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, February 9th. Gordon Haskett raised their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Finally, Roth Mkm reaffirmed a “sell” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,009.00.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $1,018.48 on Tuesday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,077.49. 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 company has a market cap of $452.07 billion, a P/E ratio of 54.55, a P/E/G ratio of 5.37 and a beta of 1.01. The business’s 50 day moving average is $925.57 and its two-hundred day moving average is $933.10.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.27 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $67.31 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $67.03 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.96% and a return on equity of 29.35%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $4.04 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Friday, January 30th were given 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 dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 27.85%.

Insider Activity

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Javier Polit sold 2,049 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $867.21, for a total value of $1,776,913.29. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 10,748 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $9,320,773.08. This represents a 16.01% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $939.00, for a total value of $1,408,500.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 44,837 shares in the company, valued at approximately $42,101,943. This represents a 3.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 6,915 shares of company stock valued at $6,317,097. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks highlights a “dual engine” for growth — e-commerce comps up ~20.5% and new store openings driving outsized sales, supporting revenue and same-store-sales momentum. Costco’s Digital Demand and Warehouse Strength Create a Dual Engine
• Positive Sentiment: Rollout of mobile/online ordering for custom cakes and deli trays improves convenience and fulfillment options — could raise transaction frequency and average ticket in clubs. Costco cake online ordering is coming
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage noting that prominent billionaires hold large positions in Costco lends a governance/endorsement narrative that can support investor confidence. 3 Billionaires Have One Key Stock As Their Largest Holding. You’ll Be Surprised to Know What It Is.
• Neutral Sentiment: Reported short-interest notes are inconsistent (data shows 0 shares and 0 days-to-cover), so there’s no clear evidence of rising short pressure to amplify moves.
• Neutral Sentiment: Stories celebrating long-term share performance (e.g., “If you invested $1,000…” pieces) support sentiment but are descriptive rather than catalytic. If You Invested $1000 in Costco a Decade Ago, This is How Much It’d Be Worth Now
• Negative Sentiment: A lawsuit alleging rotisserie chicken contamination introduces legal, recall and reputational risk; investors should watch for case developments and any operational impact. Costco Lawsuit Over Rotisserie Chicken Contamination And Investor Considerations
• Negative Sentiment: Consumer pieces on products to avoid (Kirkland items) and reports that Costco is tightening return policies could weigh on customer experience/reputation if they gain traction. 7 Kirkland Signature Foods And Drinks Costco Shoppers Avoid Buying Costco quietly cracks down on returns

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.