Analyst IMS Investment Management Services Ltd. Sells 2,053 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Analyst IMS Investment Management Services Ltd. trimmed its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 28.3% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 5,194 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 2,053 shares during the quarter. Analyst IMS Investment Management Services Ltd.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $4,808,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Bulwark Capital Corp purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the second quarter worth $25,000. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale during the second quarter valued at $31,000. Anderson Financial Strategies LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 900.0% during the 1st quarter. Anderson Financial Strategies LLC now owns 40 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $38,000 after buying an additional 36 shares in the last quarter. Financial Connections Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 975.0% in the 2nd quarter. Financial Connections Group Inc. now owns 43 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $42,000 after buying an additional 39 shares during the period. Finally, Frazier Financial Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 72.0% in the 2nd quarter. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC now owns 43 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $43,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Northcoast upgraded COST to Buy and set a $1,100 price target, citing continued room for global expansion and a strong competitive position — a direct analyst vote of confidence that can support the stock. Costco’s (COST) Global Growth Story Gains Momentum, Says Northcoast
• Positive Sentiment: Several coverage pieces note Costco’s improving free cash flow and FCF margins reported in December; stronger cash generation makes buybacks/dividends/expansion more sustainable and supports valuations. Costco Has Tumbled Despite Higher FCF and FCF Margins – Time to Buy COST Stock?
• Positive Sentiment: Fundamental write-ups reiterate Costco’s durable membership model, limited-SKU cost advantage, and steady sales growth — reminders of long-term earnings stability that attract income/value investors. Costco’s 2025: 3 Things Investors Should Know Heading Into the New Year
• Neutral Sentiment: Options strategy pieces outline ways to gain leveraged exposure to COST (selling short-dated OTM puts/calls to fund longer ITM calls) — signals retail/options interest but not a direct fundamental catalyst. A Less-Costly Way to Buy Costco to Gain Leveraged Upside in COST Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Operational oddity: a $400k lobster shipment en route to Costco was stolen — a PR/operational hit but immaterial to Costco’s large retail operations. $400,000 worth of lobster stolen en route to Costco Wholesale stores in US
• Negative Sentiment: Wells Fargo trimmed its Costco target, citing a mixed retail backdrop — analyst downgrades or target cuts can pressure shares by reducing near-term demand from institutional buyers. Wells Fargo Trims Costco (COST) Target Amid Mixed Retail Backdrop
• Negative Sentiment: Jim Cramer publicly said he’s “concerned” and may sell remaining shares — negative media commentary from high-profile hosts can weigh on investor sentiment and trigger short-term selling. Jim Cramer on Costco: “I Am Concerned I Might Sell the Rest”
• Negative Sentiment: WSJ reports Sam’s Club is outpacing Costco in China (rapid store/e‑commerce expansion) — growing competition in a key international market poses a strategic risk to Costco’s overseas growth thesis. Sam’s Club Is Beating Costco at Its Own Game—in China

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 0.6%

Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $867.84 on Tuesday. 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 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,078.23. The company has a market cap of $385.21 billion, a P/E ratio of 46.48, a PEG ratio of 5.23 and a beta of 1.00. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $901.02 and its 200-day moving average price is $937.72.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.27 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $67.31 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate 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 quarter last year, the firm posted $4.04 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

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

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 2,400 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $930.13, for a total transaction of $2,232,312.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 2,000 shares in the company, valued at $1,860,260. The trade was a 54.55% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider Tiffany Marie Barbre sold 1,239 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $934.62, for a total transaction of $1,157,994.18. Following the sale, the insider owned 5,155 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,817,966.10. This trade represents a 19.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 6,339 shares of company stock valued at $5,916,642. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Truist Financial cut their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,033.00 to $926.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, December 12th. Daiwa Capital Markets dropped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $947.00 to $917.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. Citigroup cut their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,065.00 to $990.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, September 29th. BTIG Research began coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Tuesday, October 14th. They set a “buy” rating and a $1,115.00 price objective for the company. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,218.00 to $1,171.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, December 12th. Nineteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $992.08.

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.