Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC Has $70.06 Million Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC cut its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 1.3% in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 81,991 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 1,089 shares during the period. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $70,061,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in COST. State Street Corp increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.5% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 18,325,416 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $18,141,062,000 after purchasing an additional 90,107 shares in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 9.8% in the second 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 in the last quarter. Amundi grew its stake in 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 buying an additional 986,182 shares during the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.1% during the third quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 3,145,241 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,911,331,000 after buying an additional 34,826 shares during the last quarter. Finally, American Century Companies Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 8.5% during the third quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 1,619,703 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,499,246,000 after buying an additional 127,495 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of COST stock opened at $996.43 on Wednesday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,067.08. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $988.00 and its 200-day moving average is $939.28. The firm has a market capitalization of $442.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.82, a PEG ratio of 4.92 and a beta of 1.01.

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

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Stockholders 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 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.5%. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is presently 27.04%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on COST. Oppenheimer lifted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Daiwa Securities Group lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 10th. DA Davidson reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Truist Financial increased their target price on Costco Wholesale from $926.00 to $977.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,039.13.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Jim Cramer reiterated Costco as a defensive, buy‑in‑this‑environment pick, which can support retail investor demand and sentiment. Jim Cramer on Costco: “This One Is What You Buy in This Environment”
• Positive Sentiment: Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and a $1,125 price target, implying meaningful upside from current levels and giving institutional/quant models a constructive signal. Telsey Advisory Group Outperform Note
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is rolling out its first stand‑alone gas station and continues to use discounted fuel as a membership and traffic driver — high pump prices can actually bolster membership growth and in‑store sales. This is a potential revenue/traffic tailwind. Costco Will Soon Open Its First Stand-Alone Gas Station
• Positive Sentiment: Operational and footprint expansion: Costco is testing faster checkout tech and planning new warehouses and business‑centre openings (including Canada), which support long‑term traffic and membership retention. Costco’s Warehouse Expansion Plans Signal Long-Term Growth Engine
• Neutral Sentiment: Technical/market notes (Dow Jones/IBD) flag Costco approaching new buy points after recent rallies — useful for traders but not a fundamental change. Dow Jones: Merck, Costco Approach New Buy Points
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts are split on near‑term sales and valuation — March sales are expected to rise YOY but forward multiples remain rich, keeping analyst opinions mixed. Costco March Sales to Climb, But Analysts Stay Split on COST Stock
• Negative Sentiment: Legal/consumer risk: Costco faces a lawsuit alleging it raised prices then sought tariff refunds, a story that could generate regulatory/legal costs or reputational hit if it escalates. Costco sued over claims it raised prices, then sought tariff refunds
• Negative Sentiment: Minor consumer PR issue: a viral complaint about an “overpriced” new dessert feeds short‑term negative chatter among members, though it’s unlikely to materially affect fundamentals. Costco Members Are FURIOUS About This ‘Overpriced’ New Dessert

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction dated 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 sale, the executive vice president directly owned 44,837 shares in the company, valued at $42,101,943. This trade represents a 3.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated 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 directly owned 8,240 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,550,476.80. This represents a 15.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 5,038 shares of company stock valued at $4,790,896 over the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

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.