AMI Asset Management Corp Trims Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

AMI Asset Management Corp decreased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 2.8% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 22,407 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 651 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale makes up approximately 1.4% of AMI Asset Management Corp’s holdings, making the stock its 27th largest position. AMI Asset Management Corp’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $22,327,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total value of $847,343.25. Following the sale, the director directly owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on COST shares. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $1,175.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Daiwa Securities Group boosted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 10th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. 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. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Costco Wholesale from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Tuesday, June 23rd. Twenty-two research 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, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,061.45.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $935.47 on Wednesday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,096.50. The firm has a market capitalization of $414.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.59 and a beta of 0.88. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $993.97 and its 200-day simple moving average is $971.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.61.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $4.28 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st were paid a dividend of $1.47 per share. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is presently 29.58%.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts highlighted Costco’s executive membership growth as a key earnings driver, saying richer fee income and a better sales mix could unlock more profit, with a China expansion opportunity adding longer-term upside. Costco’s Executive Penetration Could Unlock More Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Several articles pointed to Costco’s strong post-earnings setup versus peers, noting robust revenue growth, sticky membership cash flow, and a resilient value proposition as households remain squeezed by inflation. Costco vs. Target: One Retailer Is A Much Stronger Buy In 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is using AI to improve online search and product listings, and early results suggest digital traffic has roughly tripled, with strong conversion rates that could support e-commerce growth. Costco (COST) Is Using AI To Triple Digital Traffic And Lift Conversions
• Positive Sentiment: Costco was also named a top retail pick by Bernstein and described as a better buy than some peers because of its membership model and consistent execution. Costco Stock (COST) Crowned Top Retail Pick for the Rest of 2026 — Here’s Why
• Neutral Sentiment: Additional coverage discussed Costco’s ability to benefit from inflation and geopolitical supply pressures, but also warned that the stock’s valuation is already rich versus expected growth. Costco: Hormuz And Inflation Provide Momentum But Be Mindful Of The Valuation
• Negative Sentiment: Bearish commentary argued Costco’s slower growth profile may not justify its high earnings multiple, which is likely contributing to selling pressure. Costco Stock: Future 10 Percent And Decelerating Growth Rate Not Worth 50x Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Another article was explicitly titled “More Pain To Come,” reinforcing concerns that investors may be rotating away from Costco despite its operational strengths. Costco Stock: More Pain To Come

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.