Arista Wealth Management LLC Sells 1,114 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Arista Wealth Management LLC lessened its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 15.6% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 6,049 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 1,114 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale accounts for 0.6% of Arista Wealth Management LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 25th largest holding. Arista Wealth Management LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $5,216,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Brighton Jones LLC grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 12.3% during the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 19,825 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $18,165,000 after purchasing an additional 2,172 shares during the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 13.1% during the fourth quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,123 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,029,000 after purchasing an additional 130 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 4.5% during the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 3,853 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,814,000 after purchasing an additional 165 shares during the last quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.1% during the second quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. now owns 2,110 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,089,000 after purchasing an additional 23 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Schnieders Capital Management LLC. grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.2% in the second quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 8,502 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $8,416,000 after acquiring an additional 182 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction on Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 0.1%

COST opened at $1,003.69 on Thursday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,096.50. 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 fifty day moving average price is $1,008.29 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $962.02. The company has a market capitalization of $445.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 52.19, a P/E/G ratio of 4.93 and a beta of 0.92.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, topping 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 firm had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $4.02 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.33 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st were paid a dividend of $1.47 per share. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is presently 30.58%.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and media coverage remain constructive, with multiple firms reiterating bullish views and price targets implying upside if Costco delivers another solid quarter. Analyst Reaffirms Buy on Costco, Sees Attractive Upside with Unchanged $1,185 Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Pre-earnings commentary highlights strong monthly sales, membership growth, e-commerce gains, and higher gas prices potentially boosting traffic and top-line momentum. Costco Heads into Earnings with Monthly Sales Already Doing the Heavy Lifting
• Positive Sentiment: Some analysts are calling Costco a top defensive consumer stock, reinforcing its reputation as a steady performer in uncertain markets. Bernstein Calls Costco (COST) a Top Defensive Consumer Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple previews note that investors are largely waiting for Thursday’s earnings report to reset expectations, with the stock seen as capable of moving sharply depending on guidance and margin commentary. Here’s How Much Costco Stock Is Expected to Move After Earnings Q3 FY2026
• Neutral Sentiment: There was also a separate headline about an optical-services scheduling issue and a grapevine pest concern involving Costco-sold plants, but these appear limited in scope and are less likely to affect the broader investment thesis. Costco optical customers face frustration trying to schedule eye exams
• Negative Sentiment: Pre-earnings caution and valuation pressure are weighing on the shares, with some market watchers saying it may be prudent to wait for results rather than chase the stock now. Costco Q3 Preview: Stock Could Hit $1,200 Or Fall To $960, Market Expert Says ‘Prudent To Wait This One Out’
• Negative Sentiment: A federal jury verdict in a disability discrimination case raised legal and compliance concerns, creating a modest overhang ahead of earnings. Costco Discrimination Verdict Puts Legal And Compliance Risks In Focus

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Truist Financial boosted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $926.00 to $977.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $1,115.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” 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 issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,052.60.

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.