Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Stock: Fortitude Advisory Group L.L.C. Raises Position

Fortitude Advisory Group L.L.C. boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 35.1% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 5,085 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 1,322 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale accounts for about 1.8% of Fortitude Advisory Group L.L.C.’s portfolio, making the stock its 8th biggest holding. Fortitude Advisory Group L.L.C.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $4,629,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Sarasin & Partners LLP grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 6.9% during the second quarter. Sarasin & Partners LLP now owns 214,194 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $200,372,000 after acquiring an additional 13,795 shares during the last quarter. Nissay Asset Management Corp Japan raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 4.1% in the 2nd quarter. Nissay Asset Management Corp Japan now owns 158,416 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $148,193,000 after purchasing an additional 6,200 shares during the last quarter. Silvant Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 2nd quarter valued at $16,013,000. Hyperion Asset Management Ltd raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 9.0% in the 2nd quarter. Hyperion Asset Management Ltd now owns 68,762 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $64,325,000 after purchasing an additional 5,656 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 15.0% during the 2nd quarter. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC now owns 22,766 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $21,297,000 after purchasing an additional 2,974 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 1.1%

NASDAQ COST opened at $989.11 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $438.30 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.64, a P/E/G ratio of 4.18 and a beta of 0.88. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,096.50. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $933.15 and a 200 day moving average price of $963.28. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, September 24th. The retailer reported $6.75 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.54 by $0.21. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 27.60% and a net margin of 3.04%. The company had revenue of $95.72 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $94.97 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $5.87 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 11.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 22.70 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, October 30th will be issued a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, October 30th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 28.32%.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: September sales accelerated: Costco reported September net sales of $30.02 billion, up 13% year over year, while digitally enabled sales increased 19%. The results reinforce the strength of Costco’s membership model, e-commerce business and value-focused offering. September Sales Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support remains strong: Tigress Financial reiterated a Buy rating while setting a $1,065 price target after previously publicizing a higher $1,250 target. Other coverage highlights Costco’s sales growth, membership loyalty and digital gains, supporting the recent recovery above key moving averages. Tigress Financial Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend maintained: Costco declared a quarterly dividend of $1.47 per share, payable November 13 to shareholders of record October 30. While the approximately 0.6% yield is modest, the payment signals continued cash-flow strength. Costco Dividend Announcement
• Positive Sentiment: Expansion pipeline: Proposed warehouse projects in Macon and Oakland, along with a planned Merced County relocation, point to continued investment in Costco’s store network. Infrastructure financing of up to $30 million could support the Macon development. Macon Costco Project
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco’s fiscal 2027 executive bonus plan adds sustainability-related measures. The change may support long-term operational goals, but it is unlikely to materially affect near-term earnings. Costco Executive Bonus Update
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and macro risks remain: Costco trades at a high earnings multiple, leaving the stock vulnerable if growth or membership trends slow. Persistent inflation and potentially higher interest rates could also pressure consumer spending and market valuations.
• Negative Sentiment: An executive sold 1,100 shares worth approximately $1.05 million. The transaction is relatively small compared with Costco’s market value, but it may add a modest cautionary signal for investors. Costco Insider Sale

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,200 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $915.93, for a total value of $2,015,046.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 7,134 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,534,244.62. This trade represents a 23.57% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 1,100 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $958.21, for a total value of $1,054,031.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 3,094 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,964,701.74. This trade represents a 26.23% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Robert W. Baird set a $1,175.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Raymond James Financial reduced their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,050.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, September 25th. UBS Group reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, September 17th. Tigress Financial increased their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,065.00 to $1,250.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday. Finally, Freedom Broker lowered their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,030.00 to $1,010.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, September 25th. Twenty-four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,087.40.

Costco Wholesale Company Profile

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a membership-based warehouse retail business under the Costco name. The company sells a broad selection of merchandise, including groceries, fresh foods, beverages, appliances, electronics, furniture, apparel, jewelry, hardware, and seasonal products. It also offers services such as gasoline, pharmacies, optical departments, hearing-aid centers, food courts, travel services, and business delivery in selected markets.

Costco markets many products under its private-label Kirkland Signature brand and sells merchandise through warehouse locations and e-commerce platforms.