Deane Retirement Strategies Inc. Invests $4.17 Million in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Deane Retirement Strategies Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor acquired 4,507 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $4,170,000.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Bulwark Capital Corp bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the second quarter worth about $25,000. Soundwatch Capital LLC lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 635.7% in the 2nd quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC now owns 2,553 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 2,206 shares during the last quarter. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $31,000. Anderson Financial Strategies LLC boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 900.0% in the first quarter. Anderson Financial Strategies LLC now owns 40 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $38,000 after buying an additional 36 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Financial Connections Group Inc. grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 975.0% during the second quarter. Financial Connections Group Inc. now owns 43 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $42,000 after acquiring an additional 39 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,700 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, October 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $935.68, for a total value of $2,526,336.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 6,851 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,410,343.68. This trade represents a 28.27% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 2,400 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, November 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $930.13, for a total transaction of $2,232,312.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 2,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,860,260. The trade was a 54.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders sold 9,720 shares of company stock worth $9,010,257. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on COST shares. Argus boosted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,170.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, September 29th. Oppenheimer cut their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,130.00 to $1,050.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, November 3rd. Guggenheim reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday. Robert W. Baird lowered their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,000.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein increased their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,134.00 to $1,146.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, December 12th. Eighteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $987.58.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Faster checkout tests in Arizona could improve throughput and member experience, supporting sales and comps going into 2026. Costco’s technology is speeding up checkout in Arizona. What to know
• Positive Sentiment: An analysis praising Costco’s execution underscores durable margin and operating discipline that can justify premium multiples long term. Costco: The Art Of Execution
• Positive Sentiment: Broader retail tailwinds — holiday sales expected to top $1T — support sector momentum that can lift Costco’s sales and traffic in the near term. Holiday Sales Boom: 4 Retail Stocks Ready for 2026 Gains
• Neutral Sentiment: Outlook pieces on what investors can expect in 2026 summarize growth drivers and risks but offer no new catalyst; useful for modeling but not market-moving on its own. What investors can expect from Costco in 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Consumer-content pieces (popular frozen breakfast picks and most-returned foods) reflect member engagement and product issues but are unlikely to move fundamentals. Costco Frozen Breakfast Foods That Are Worth Buying, According To Reddit 10 Costco Foods That Shoppers Return The Most
• Neutral Sentiment: Guides on buying precious metals at Costco show ancillary services but are immaterial to overall earnings. How to buy gold, silver, and other precious metals from Costco online and in-store
• Negative Sentiment: Jim Cramer criticized the tone and handling of Costco’s last conference call, signaling concerns over management communication that can pressure sentiment. Jim Cramer on Costco: “We Did Not Like the Way the Conference Call Went When They Reported Last”
• Negative Sentiment: Roth Capital and other analysts point to convenience and competitive issues as drivers of a disappointing year, keeping pressure on near-term comps and sentiment. Roth Capital’s Bill Kirk points out convenience issues behind Costco’s disappointing year
• Negative Sentiment: Opinion pieces suggesting other stocks to buy ahead of Costco emphasize that COST remains relatively expensive and has had a down year — a reminder valuation could cap upside. 1 Stock I’d Buy Before Costco (COST) in 2026

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 0.6%

NASDAQ COST opened at $854.79 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 1.04 and a quick ratio of 0.53. The stock has a market capitalization of $379.42 billion, a PE ratio of 45.78, a PEG ratio of 5.10 and a beta of 1.00. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,078.23. The business’s 50-day moving average is $906.34 and its 200 day moving average is $941.42.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates 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 analyst estimates of $67.03 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $4.04 EPS. Costco Wholesale’s quarterly revenue was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 14th. Investors of record on Friday, October 31st were issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, October 31st. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is currently 27.85%.

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.