Bessemer Group Inc. Sells 133,166 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Bessemer Group Inc. cut its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 15.1% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 751,391 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 133,166 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale comprises approximately 1.1% of Bessemer Group Inc.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 12th largest position. Bessemer Group Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $695,510,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the second quarter worth approximately $5,692,035,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 96,316.6% in the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,378,758 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,364,888,000 after acquiring an additional 1,377,328 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.7% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 43,356,271 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $42,920,107,000 after purchasing an additional 711,560 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 9.8% during the 2nd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,291,557 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $4,248,384,000 after buying an additional 383,887 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Symphony Financial Ltd. Co. grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 15,055.5% during the 2nd quarter. Symphony Financial Ltd. Co. now owns 320,994 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $317,722,000 after acquiring an additional 318,876 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $978.33 on Thursday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $911.22 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $929.80. 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 market capitalization of $434.25 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.40, a P/E/G ratio of 5.85 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a current ratio of 1.04.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates 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 during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $67.03 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $4.04 EPS. Costco Wholesale’s revenue was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 30th will be issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is presently 27.85%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages recently commented on COST. Guggenheim restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,218.00 to $1,171.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Robert W. Baird cut their price objective on shares of 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. Telsey Advisory Group restated an “outperform” rating and set a $1,100.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday. Finally, HSBC cut their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,045.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, December 12th. Twenty-one analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $998.50.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $916.32, for a total transaction of $1,374,480.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 8,240 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,550,476.80. This represents a 15.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Javier Polit sold 558 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $862.89, for a total value of $481,492.62. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 10,190 shares in the company, valued at $8,792,849.10. This trade represents a 5.19% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold a total of 9,315 shares of company stock worth $8,549,409 in the last 90 days. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: January sales beat expectations — Costco reported retail month net sales of $21.33 billion for January, up 9.3% year-over-year, supporting growth momentum and underlying cash flow visibility. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports January Sales Results
• Positive Sentiment: Digital and comp strength highlighted — reporting and media coverage emphasize Costco outpaced broad retail sales in January and that its digital business performed well, a near-term growth trigger for investors. Costco outpaces broad retail sales in January as its digital business shines
• Positive Sentiment: Membership revenue strength — analysts note membership fee growth (reported ~14% jump in Q1 FY26) and steady renewal behavior that supports predictable recurring revenue and margins. Costco’s Membership Model Continues to Deliver Predictable Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Exceptional renewal rates — coverage highlights a ~92% renewal rate in the U.S. & Canada (≈89.8% worldwide), reinforcing the durability of Costco’s membership “moat.” Nine Out of Ten Costco Members Renew
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support — Gordon Haskett raised its price target to $1,100, giving upside room from current levels; Telsey reaffirmed an Outperform rating, which can support buyer interest. Gordon Haskett adjusts price target on Costco
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation debate persists — pieces are probing whether Costco’s high P/E is justified after multi-year share gains and membership strength; this keeps valuation a focal point for longer-term investors. Is Costco Wholesale (COST) Pricing Reflect Lofty P/E
• Neutral Sentiment: Macro/sector context — coverage (e.g., Barron’s) notes staples stocks look frothy vs. their historical safety role, which can temper momentum if market risk appetite shifts. Staples Stocks Are Known for Safety. Now They Look Way Too Frothy.
• Negative Sentiment: Product recalls for bakery items — Costco has recalled beignets/mini-beignets and other pastries due to packaging mix-ups and undeclared nuts/allergen risks across multiple states, creating potential reputational and operational headaches for the foodservice side. Costco recall beignets
• Negative Sentiment: Labeling lawsuit — a suit challenges Costco’s “no preservatives” claim on rotisserie chicken, which could increase legal/PR risk and potential liability if the case gains traction. Lawsuit challenges Costco’s ‘no preservatives’ labeling

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.