CSM Advisors LLC Grows Stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

CSM Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 981.5% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 3,385 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 3,072 shares during the period. CSM Advisors LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $3,136,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Soundwatch Capital LLC grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 635.7% in the 2nd quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC now owns 2,553 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 2,206 shares during the last quarter. Hurley Capital LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at about $34,000. Collier Financial purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Susan L. Decker sold 458 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $955.00, for a total transaction of $437,390.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 8,532 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,148,060. The trade was a 5.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total value of $838,321.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 4,228 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,169,907.28. This represents a 16.74% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 7,645 shares of company stock valued at $7,049,302 in the last 90 days. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

COST has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Hovde Group initiated coverage on Costco Wholesale in a report on Tuesday, November 18th. They issued a “market perform” rating and a $16.00 price objective for the company. Telsey Advisory Group upped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,125.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Raymond James Financial increased their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Daiwa Securities Group raised their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 10th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $1,050.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Twenty-two investment 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 MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,039.13.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 0.7%

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $1,001.74 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $444.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.09, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.10 and a beta of 1.00. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,067.08. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $978.04 and a 200 day moving average price of $937.45. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The company had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $68.96 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $4.02 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Friday, January 30th were issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 30th. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.5%. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is currently 27.04%.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan raised its tone on Costco following recent fiscal results and increased its price target, signaling confidence in Costco’s topline momentum and membership-driven margins — a catalyst for continued investor interest. JPMorgan Bullish on Costco Wholesale (COST) Following Fiscal Q2 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Several long-form pieces argue Costco still has durable growth and premium membership economics that could support large market-cap expansion over the next several years — a bullish narrative for buy-and-hold investors. Will Costco Wholesale Stock Join the Trillion-Dollar Club by 2030?
• Positive Sentiment: Comparisons with other defensive, wide-moat consumer names (e.g., Coca‑Cola) and lists recommending Costco as a buy-and-hold reinforce steady demand from long-term investors and support multiple expansion. Best Stock to Buy and Hold Forever: Costco vs. Coca-Cola
• Positive Sentiment: MarketBeat and others continue to flag COST as a potential stock-split candidate given its >$1,000 price — a split could broaden retail demand and improve liquidity if announced. 3 Stocks That Could Be Next to Announce a Stock Split
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage pieces and screeners (Zacks, InsiderMonkey) have featured COST as a quality retail pick; useful for sentiment but less likely to move the stock materially by themselves. Beat the Market the Zacks Way: IPG Photonics, Celanese, Costco in Focus
• Neutral Sentiment: Small operational/product updates (e.g., online custom cake ordering) and minor portfolio moves by advisers are low-impact items that support convenience and steady sales but won’t change fundamentals. Costco now lets you order custom cakes online — here’s how it works
• Negative Sentiment: Costco issued recalls for prepared meatloaf meals over potential Salmonella contamination (multiple local health alerts and national notices). Recalls can depress short‑term foot traffic, raise remediation costs, and attract negative media — a near‑term drag on sentiment. Costco recalls prepared meatloaf meals over possible Salmonella risk
• Negative Sentiment: Competitive improvements at Sam’s Club (fixing pain points that have favored Costco) are being highlighted in the press — any persistent market-share shift or promotional aggression could pressure margins or membership momentum. Sam’s Club fixes problem that’s a major pain point at Costco

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.