Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Acquired by China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd.

China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd. lifted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 8.4% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 15,819 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,231 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale comprises 1.2% of China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 17th biggest position. China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $14,643,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of COST. Peterson Wealth Services lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.5% in the 2nd quarter. Peterson Wealth Services now owns 13,616 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $13,479,000 after acquiring an additional 72 shares in the last quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 49.3% during the 3rd quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated now owns 3,780 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,499,000 after purchasing an additional 1,248 shares during the period. Permanent Capital Management LP purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at $874,000. Wealthspire Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 2.0% in the 2nd quarter. Wealthspire Advisors LLC now owns 15,799 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $15,640,000 after acquiring an additional 312 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in 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 acquiring an additional 711,560 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 0.8%

Shares of COST opened at $987.82 on Friday. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $932.55 and its 200 day moving average price is $934.33. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. The firm has a market capitalization of $438.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.91, a P/E/G ratio of 5.26 and a beta of 1.01. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,067.08.

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 the consensus estimate of $4.27 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $67.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $67.03 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 29.35% and a net margin of 2.96%.The company’s revenue was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $4.04 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on COST. Mizuho increased their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,065.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Telsey Advisory Group reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $1,100.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Evercore boosted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,025.00 to $1,050.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. BMO Capital Markets reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, December 12th. Finally, UBS Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Twenty-one investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,008.07.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, 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 value of $1,408,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 44,837 shares in the company, valued at approximately $42,101,943. The trade was a 3.24% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, January 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $916.32, for a total value of $1,374,480.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 8,240 shares in the company, valued at $7,550,476.80. The trade was a 15.40% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 6,915 shares of company stock valued at $6,317,097. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Rothschild & Co Redburn issued a bullish outlook forecasting strong price appreciation for COST, which can support investor confidence and buy-side interest. Rothschild & Co Redburn Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Nike’s limited partnership with Costco is generating buzz and resale demand, signaling potential incremental traffic and a marketing win that can boost same-store sales and brand halo. Why Nike Partnering with Costco Is Actually a Genius Move
• Positive Sentiment: New consumer services — Costco is rolling out online and app-based custom cake ordering, a small but tangible ecommerce/service expansion that can modestly increase basket spend and convenience. Costco is unveiling online cake ordering and customers say its ‘awesome news’
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst and media comparisons: several pieces weigh Costco’s steady, membership-driven model versus peers (Target, Walmart) and debate upside potential given current valuation — useful for longer-term positioning but mixed near-term impact. Target vs. Costco: Which Discount Retail Stock Has Better Upside Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest report in February appears anomalous (reported large increase but shows zero shares / NaN); no clear evidence of a meaningful short squeeze risk at present.
• Negative Sentiment: Costco dropped a proposed project in Asheville citing regulatory requirements and costs — a sign of localized development friction that could slow planned square-footage growth. Costco drops Asheville proposal due to requirements, costs
• Negative Sentiment: Product safety and recall issues: Costco faces a class-action alleging salmonella risk from rotisserie chicken and is issuing refunds/recalling certain restaurant gift cards — both create near-term legal/operational noise and potential costs. Class-action lawsuit alleges Costco’s rotisserie chicken poses salmonella risk
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction: commentary and trading reports note recent share declines amid a broader market bounce, reflecting investor reassessment of valuation after strong multi-year gains. Costco (COST) Stock Declines While Market Improves: Some Information for Investors

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.