Connors Investor Services Inc. Sells 1,390 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Connors Investor Services Inc. reduced its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 7.1% in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 18,051 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 1,390 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale makes up approximately 1.4% of Connors Investor Services Inc.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 28th largest position. Connors Investor Services Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $16,709,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 0.5% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 18,325,416 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $18,141,062,000 after buying an additional 90,107 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 2nd quarter worth about $5,692,035,000. Invesco Ltd. grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 9.8% in the 2nd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,291,557 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $4,248,384,000 after acquiring an additional 383,887 shares in the last quarter. Amundi increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 45.0% during the third quarter. Amundi now owns 3,176,606 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,893,697,000 after acquiring an additional 986,182 shares during the period. Finally, Fisher Asset Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% during the third quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 3,145,241 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,911,331,000 after acquiring an additional 34,826 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts recently issued reports on COST shares. Raymond James Financial boosted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Gordon Haskett raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Oppenheimer lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Costco Wholesale from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Tuesday. Finally, DA Davidson reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Twenty-three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,039.13.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 1.6%

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $979.92 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The company has a market cap of $434.74 billion, a P/E ratio of 50.96, a PEG ratio of 4.92 and a beta of 1.01. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $982.13 and its 200-day moving average price is $938.12. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,067.08.

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

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 30th were 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 was Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is currently 27.04%.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco is opening its first standalone gas station in Mission Viejo, CA, expanding fuel footprint and local competitive pressure on convenience stores — this can boost fuel volumes and membership value over time. Costco’s first standalone gas station to open by late June
• Positive Sentiment: Management commentary and recent analysis highlight resilient consumer spending at Costco and a strong gas business, supporting revenue stability even during broader market weakness. Why Costco Stock Is Up 16% in 2026 While the Broader Market Sells Off
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple bullish pieces argue Costco’s premium multiple is justified by its membership model, Kirkland private label strength, and recession resilience — narratives that support a higher valuation multiple. 3 Reasons Costco Stock Deserves to Trade at a Sky-High Valuation
• Positive Sentiment: Local initiatives and benefits — e.g., lowering fertility-drug costs in New Jersey and rollout of faster checkout tech — boost member value and may support retention and traffic. Costco to lower cost of fertility drugs in NJ
• Neutral Sentiment: New product and private-label news (sourdough kit, new Kirkland items) help drive in-store traffic and add to merchandise appeal but are routine for Costco’s merchandising strategy. This Costco Sourdough Kit Has Everything You Need to Start Baking Bread
• Neutral Sentiment: Macro trade/tariff developments and energy policy moves (Jones Act waiver, new tariffs) create broader cost/price risk for retail but impacts on Costco are indirect and timing uncertain. Trump tariffs live updates
• Neutral Sentiment: Reports that some members may pay more to renew memberships could boost recurring revenue if accepted, but risk minor churn; net effect depends on price level and timing. Some Costco members may pay more to renew their memberships
• Negative Sentiment: Costco issued recalls and warnings after possible salmonella contamination in heat-and-serve/meatloaf meal kits — food-safety recalls can dent foot traffic, incur recall costs, and temporarily harm reputation. Costco recalls popular heat-and-serve meal sold at NC stores. How to get a refund

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the stock in a transaction dated 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 sale, the executive vice president owned 4,228 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,169,907.28. This trade represents a 16.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 7,645 shares of company stock worth $7,049,302. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

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.