Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management Sells 848 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management lowered its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 3.7% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 22,349 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 848 shares during the period. Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $19,272,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in COST. Hurley Capital LLC raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at $34,000. Collier Financial purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at $35,000. AXS Investments LLC purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at $36,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on COST shares. BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $1,115.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. TD Cowen reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $1,155.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,060.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research 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 given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,039.13.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 0.0%

NASDAQ:COST opened at $996.56 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.59. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $988.27 and its 200-day moving average price is $939.68. The company has a market capitalization of $442.12 billion, a PE ratio of 51.82, a P/E/G ratio of 4.92 and a beta of 0.99. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,067.08.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly 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 EPS. Costco Wholesale’s revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced 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 (DPR) is presently 27.04%.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total value of $838,321.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 4,228 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,169,907.28. This represents a 16.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Susan L. Decker sold 458 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $955.00, for a total value of $437,390.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 8,532 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $8,148,060. The trade was a 5.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 5,038 shares of company stock valued at $4,790,896. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $1,125 price target, signaling analyst confidence and ~13% upside versus recent levels. Telsey Outperform, $1,125 PT
• Positive Sentiment: Jim Cramer recommended Costco as a defensive, buyable name in the current environment, which can attract retail flows and support the stock. Jim Cramer on Costco
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple pieces highlight Costco as a beneficiary of high gas prices — fuel acts as a loss leader that drives membership renewals and in-store sales, potentially boosting traffic and comps. Surprising Beneficiaries of High Gas Prices
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is rolling out its first stand-alone gas stations to ease store congestion and extend fuel access — a tactical move that can scale the gas-as-loss-leader strategy. Costco First Stand-Alone Gas Station
• Positive Sentiment: Operational improvements: reports say new checkout tech cuts payment time to ~8 seconds, which should improve throughput and the shopping experience — a modest margin/enjoyment tailwind. New Checkout Technology
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts remain split on near-term upside despite expected March sales growth; mixed forecasts mean guidance and comps will matter more than headlines. Analysts Split on March Sales
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry comparisons (Costco vs. Walmart/Amazon) and long‑term return retrospectives keep COST on investors’ radar, but they reinforce valuation debates rather than immediate catalysts. Costco vs. Walmart Debate
• Negative Sentiment: Several consumer stories about pricey novelty items (a $140, 10‑lb Easter bunny) and an “overpriced” dessert have provoked member backlash on social media — a PR headwind that could dent short‑term sentiment but is unlikely to affect core membership economics. Costco $140 Easter Bunny

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.