Independent Advisor Alliance Trims Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Independent Advisor Alliance lowered its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 2.1% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 32,229 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 686 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale makes up about 0.8% of Independent Advisor Alliance’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 20th largest holding. Independent Advisor Alliance’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $29,832,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 4.4% in the second quarter. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC now owns 262 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $259,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Graney & King LLC lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 6.8% during the 2nd quarter. Graney & King LLC now owns 173 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $171,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Seneschal Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.4% in the 2nd quarter. Seneschal Advisors LLC now owns 3,142 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $3,110,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Busey Bank increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.4% in the 3rd quarter. Busey Bank now owns 2,651 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,454,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Pasadena Private Wealth LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. Pasadena Private Wealth LLC now owns 1,403 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,299,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $916.32, for a total transaction of $1,374,480.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 8,240 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,550,476.80. This trade represents a 15.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total transaction of $838,321.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 4,228 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,169,907.28. This represents a 16.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 9,315 shares of company stock valued at $8,549,409. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $940.25 on Friday. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $906.50 and its two-hundred day moving average is $929.32. The firm has a market capitalization of $417.35 billion, a P/E ratio of 50.36, a PEG ratio of 5.70 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a current ratio of 1.04, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,078.23.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.27 by $0.07. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 29.35% and a net margin of 2.96%.The business had revenue of $67.31 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $67.03 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $4.04 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 30th will be given a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is 27.85%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

COST has been the subject of a number of research reports. HSBC decreased their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,045.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Friday, December 12th. Sanford C. Bernstein raised their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,134.00 to $1,146.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, December 12th. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, December 12th. Telsey Advisory Group reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $1,100.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,025.00 to $1,027.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, December 12th. Twenty-one analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $996.00.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco is expanding same‑day delivery across Europe (Paris to Madrid), which supports international growth and services-led revenue expansion. Costco Stock (COST) has no Joie de Vivre Despite Expanding Services to Paris and Madrid
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst coverage remains generally favorable (average “Moderate Buy” / bullish writeups), offering support amid near‑term volatility. Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) Given Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco continues product and membership promotions (Kirkland x Nike SB Dunk release, Gold Star membership digital shop card) that boost customer engagement but are unlikely to move near‑term results materially. Costco and Nike released the Kirkland x Nike SB Dunk shoes. Are they worth it? This Costco Gold Star Membership gets you a $20 Digital Costco Shop Card*
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation remains rich (high P/E relative to peers), which can amplify reactions to news and weighs on upside in a risk‑off session. (Background market data)
• Negative Sentiment: A proposed class‑action accuses Costco of misleading customers by marketing its rotisserie chicken as having “no preservatives.” Legal risk and reputation headlines are the clearest short‑term negative catalyst. Costco Is Sued Over Preservatives in Its $5 Rotisserie Chickens Costco sued over ‘no preservatives’ claims
• Negative Sentiment: Some fund activity shows minor trimming of positions (e.g., Alpha Cubed Investments sold shares), which can add to downward pressure in a smaller‑volume selloff. Alpha Cubed Investments LLC Trims Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

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.