Mediolanum International Funds Ltd Increases Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Mediolanum International Funds Ltd increased its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 29.3% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 54,217 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 12,290 shares during the period. Mediolanum International Funds Ltd’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $49,710,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 4.4% during the 2nd quarter. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC now owns 262 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $259,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the period. Graney & King LLC increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 6.8% in the second quarter. Graney & King LLC now owns 173 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $171,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the period. Seneschal Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.4% during the second quarter. Seneschal Advisors LLC now owns 3,142 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $3,110,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Busey Bank lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.4% during the third quarter. Busey Bank now owns 2,651 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,454,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the period. Finally, Pasadena Private Wealth LLC boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 0.8% in the third quarter. Pasadena Private Wealth LLC now owns 1,403 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,299,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have weighed in on COST. TD Cowen reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Raymond James Financial dropped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,070.00 to $1,000.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, December 12th. Robert W. Baird decreased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,000.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, December 12th. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,218.00 to $1,171.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Finally, BTIG Research began coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Tuesday, October 14th. They set a “buy” rating and a $1,115.00 target price for the company. Twenty-one equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued 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 price target of $996.00.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 2,400 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, November 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $930.13, for a total value of $2,232,312.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 2,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,860,260. This trade represents a 54.55% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $939.00, for a total transaction of $1,408,500.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 44,837 shares in the company, valued at approximately $42,101,943. This trade represents a 3.24% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 9,315 shares of company stock valued at $8,549,409. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco is expanding same‑day delivery across Europe (Paris to Madrid), which supports international growth and services-led revenue expansion. Costco Stock (COST) has no Joie de Vivre Despite Expanding Services to Paris and Madrid
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst coverage remains generally favorable (average “Moderate Buy” / bullish writeups), offering support amid near‑term volatility. Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) Given Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco continues product and membership promotions (Kirkland x Nike SB Dunk release, Gold Star membership digital shop card) that boost customer engagement but are unlikely to move near‑term results materially. Costco and Nike released the Kirkland x Nike SB Dunk shoes. Are they worth it? This Costco Gold Star Membership gets you a $20 Digital Costco Shop Card*
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation remains rich (high P/E relative to peers), which can amplify reactions to news and weighs on upside in a risk‑off session. (Background market data)
• Negative Sentiment: A proposed class‑action accuses Costco of misleading customers by marketing its rotisserie chicken as having “no preservatives.” Legal risk and reputation headlines are the clearest short‑term negative catalyst. Costco Is Sued Over Preservatives in Its $5 Rotisserie Chickens Costco sued over ‘no preservatives’ claims
• Negative Sentiment: Some fund activity shows minor trimming of positions (e.g., Alpha Cubed Investments sold shares), which can add to downward pressure in a smaller‑volume selloff. Alpha Cubed Investments LLC Trims Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ:COST opened at $940.25 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a current ratio of 1.04. The stock has a market capitalization of $417.35 billion, a PE ratio of 50.36, a P/E/G ratio of 5.70 and a beta of 1.02. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,078.23. The company has a fifty day moving average of $906.50 and a two-hundred day moving average of $929.32.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.27 by $0.07. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.96% and a return on equity of 29.35%. The business had revenue of $67.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $67.03 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $4.04 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 30th will be paid a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is 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.