Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Stock Position Lifted by IPG Investment Advisors LLC

IPG Investment Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 31.9% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 3,944 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 953 shares during the quarter. IPG Investment Advisors LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $3,401,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the business. Connecticut Capital Management Group LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth $1,068,000. Kingsview Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 9.1% in the fourth quarter. Kingsview Wealth Management LLC now owns 66,282 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $57,158,000 after purchasing an additional 5,546 shares in the last quarter. Smith Chas P & Associates PA Cpas grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 139.2% in the fourth quarter. Smith Chas P & Associates PA Cpas now owns 3,493 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $3,012,000 after purchasing an additional 2,033 shares in the last quarter. Leeward Financial Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 17.7% in the fourth quarter. Leeward Financial Partners LLC now owns 10,017 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $8,638,000 after purchasing an additional 1,503 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Koesten Hirschmann & Crabtree INC. grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 45.9% in the fourth quarter. Koesten Hirschmann & Crabtree INC. now owns 477 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $411,000 after purchasing an additional 150 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total value of $732,204.60. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on COST shares. Mizuho increased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,065.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 16th. Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Evercore set a $1,100.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Finally, Oppenheimer increased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 19th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,052.60.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 0.1%

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $1,003.69 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The firm has a market cap of $445.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.93 and a beta of 0.92. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $1,008.29 and a 200-day simple moving average of $962.02. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The company’s revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $4.02 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.33 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st were issued a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is currently 30.58%.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and media coverage remain constructive, with multiple firms reiterating bullish views and price targets implying upside if Costco delivers another solid quarter. Analyst Reaffirms Buy on Costco, Sees Attractive Upside with Unchanged $1,185 Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Pre-earnings commentary highlights strong monthly sales, membership growth, e-commerce gains, and higher gas prices potentially boosting traffic and top-line momentum. Costco Heads into Earnings with Monthly Sales Already Doing the Heavy Lifting
• Positive Sentiment: Some analysts are calling Costco a top defensive consumer stock, reinforcing its reputation as a steady performer in uncertain markets. Bernstein Calls Costco (COST) a Top Defensive Consumer Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple previews note that investors are largely waiting for Thursday’s earnings report to reset expectations, with the stock seen as capable of moving sharply depending on guidance and margin commentary. Here’s How Much Costco Stock Is Expected to Move After Earnings Q3 FY2026
• Neutral Sentiment: There was also a separate headline about an optical-services scheduling issue and a grapevine pest concern involving Costco-sold plants, but these appear limited in scope and are less likely to affect the broader investment thesis. Costco optical customers face frustration trying to schedule eye exams
• Negative Sentiment: Pre-earnings caution and valuation pressure are weighing on the shares, with some market watchers saying it may be prudent to wait for results rather than chase the stock now. Costco Q3 Preview: Stock Could Hit $1,200 Or Fall To $960, Market Expert Says ‘Prudent To Wait This One Out’
• Negative Sentiment: A federal jury verdict in a disability discrimination case raised legal and compliance concerns, creating a modest overhang ahead of earnings. Costco Discrimination Verdict Puts Legal And Compliance Risks In Focus

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.