Denali Advisors LLC Sells 2,410 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Denali Advisors LLC reduced its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 21.7% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 8,683 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 2,410 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale accounts for about 0.9% of Denali Advisors LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 19th biggest holding. Denali Advisors LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $8,037,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also bought and sold shares of COST. Phillips Wealth Planners LLC increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.2% during the third quarter. Phillips Wealth Planners LLC now owns 647 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $589,000 after acquiring an additional 14 shares in the last quarter. Petra Financial Advisors Inc. lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 2.4% in the 3rd quarter. Petra Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 1,825 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,689,000 after acquiring an additional 43 shares in the last quarter. State of New Jersey Common Pension Fund D boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 3.5% during the 3rd quarter. State of New Jersey Common Pension Fund D now owns 155,462 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $143,900,000 after purchasing an additional 5,301 shares during the last quarter. Calton & Associates Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 12.5% in the 3rd quarter. Calton & Associates Inc. now owns 781 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $723,000 after purchasing an additional 87 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Golden Road Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 13.2% in the third quarter. Golden Road Advisors LLC now owns 257 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $238,000 after purchasing an additional 30 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $1,018.48 on Monday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,077.49. The firm has a market capitalization of $452.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 54.55, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.37 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a current ratio of 1.04, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $922.96 and a 200 day moving average of $932.54.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share for the quarter, topping 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 analysts’ expectations of $67.03 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $4.04 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Friday, January 30th were given a dividend of $1.30 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 30th. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.5%. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is 27.85%.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst price-target upgrades: Bernstein raised its target (to ~$1,155) and Evercore ISI lifted its target to $1,050, keeping upbeat ratings that support upside expectations. Bernstein Boosts COST Target
• Positive Sentiment: Europe expansion: Costco is piloting e‑commerce delivery in Europe, a meaningful new addressable market that could drive long‑term top‑line growth if scaled. Costco Tests European E Commerce Delivery
• Positive Sentiment: Membership & promotions: Ongoing member promotions (e.g., digital shop-card offers) and strong member perks sustain renewal rates and engagement. Get a $20 Digital Costco Shop Card
• Positive Sentiment: Momentum and growth narratives: Multiple Zacks pieces highlight Costco as a momentum/top‑growth stock, supporting investor sentiment around durable comp and digital trends. Here’s Why Costco is a Strong Momentum Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data appears erroneous (reports show 0 shares / NaN changes and a 0.0 days-to-cover ratio); not meaningful as reported and unlikely to explain price moves.
• Neutral Sentiment: Corporate culture/dei: Fortune reports Costco maintained DEI programs while some peers cut back—this may support talent/brand but is not an immediate earnings driver. Costco defied Trump’s DEI directive
• Neutral Sentiment: Customer coverage pieces (both positive “in awe” stories and critiques of recent changes) reflect mixed consumer sentiment—useful for brand monitoring but limited near-term impact. 10 Costco Changes That Made Customers Angry
• Negative Sentiment: Product recall: A recall of mini beignets for undeclared hazelnuts affects operations and could create modest near‑term costs or reputational noise. Costco recalls mini beignets
• Negative Sentiment: Tariff/legal risk: The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear challenges to former‑administration tariffs (Feb. 20); an adverse ruling or delayed refunds could hurt retailer margins or cash recoveries. President Trump’s Tariffs To Face Feb.20 Supreme Court Hearing

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently commented on COST shares. Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Hovde Group began coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Tuesday, November 18th. They set a “market perform” rating and a $16.00 price target on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $1,044.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, January 8th. UBS Group restated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, December 12th. Finally, Raymond James Financial cut their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,070.00 to $1,000.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,009.00.

Insider Activity

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Javier Polit sold 2,049 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $867.21, for a total transaction of $1,776,913.29. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 10,748 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,320,773.08. This trade represents a 16.01% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Susan L. Decker sold 458 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $955.00, for a total transaction of $437,390.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 8,532 shares in the company, valued at $8,148,060. This represents a 5.09% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 6,915 shares of company stock worth $6,317,097. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Costco Wholesale Company 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.