Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Sold by Everett Harris & Co. CA

Everett Harris & Co. CA reduced its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 0.5% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 787,470 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 3,692 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale makes up about 9.0% of Everett Harris & Co. CA’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 4th largest position. Everett Harris & Co. CA’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $728,906,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of COST. Brighton Jones LLC increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 12.3% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 19,825 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $18,165,000 after purchasing an additional 2,172 shares in the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 13.1% in the fourth quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,123 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,029,000 after buying an additional 130 shares during the period. Drucker Wealth 3.0 LLC increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 45.0% in the second quarter. Drucker Wealth 3.0 LLC now owns 657 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $645,000 after acquiring an additional 204 shares in the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 4.5% in the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 3,853 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,814,000 after acquiring an additional 165 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.1% in the 2nd quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. now owns 2,110 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,089,000 after purchasing an additional 23 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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?

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 0.8%

COST opened at $952.89 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $422.96 billion, a PE ratio of 51.04, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.74 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 1.04 and a quick ratio of 0.53. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,078.23. The business has a 50-day moving average of $905.68 and a 200-day moving average of $929.87.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its quarterly 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. 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 during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $67.03 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $4.04 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

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

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $939.00, for a total transaction of $1,408,500.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 44,837 shares in the company, valued at approximately $42,101,943. This trade represents a 3.24% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of the company’s 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 completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 8,240 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,550,476.80. This represents a 15.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 9,315 shares of company stock worth $8,549,409 over the last quarter. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

COST has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Raymond James Financial cut their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,070.00 to $1,000.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, October 9th. Mizuho set a $1,000.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, January 5th. Northcoast Research set a $1,100.00 target price on Costco Wholesale and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 24th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their price target 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. Twenty-one research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale 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.