Deane Retirement Strategies Inc. Takes $4.17 Million Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Deane Retirement Strategies Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 4,507 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $4,170,000.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Birchbrook Inc. lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.5% during the 1st quarter. Birchbrook Inc. now owns 456 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $431,000 after buying an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Ridgewood Investments LLC lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 7.4% during the second quarter. Ridgewood Investments LLC now owns 159 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $157,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the period. Wagner Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 3.4% in the second quarter. Wagner Wealth Management LLC now owns 330 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $326,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 4.4% in the 2nd quarter. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC now owns 262 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $259,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the period. Finally, Graney & King LLC grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 6.8% in the 2nd quarter. Graney & King LLC now owns 173 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $171,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 0.6%

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $854.79 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. The company has a market cap of $379.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 45.78, a P/E/G ratio of 5.10 and a beta of 1.00. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,078.23. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $906.34 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $941.42.

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

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 31st were issued a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, October 31st. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 27.85%.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Faster checkout tests in Arizona could improve throughput and member experience, supporting sales and comps going into 2026. Costco’s technology is speeding up checkout in Arizona. What to know
• Positive Sentiment: An analysis praising Costco’s execution underscores durable margin and operating discipline that can justify premium multiples long term. Costco: The Art Of Execution
• Positive Sentiment: Broader retail tailwinds — holiday sales expected to top $1T — support sector momentum that can lift Costco’s sales and traffic in the near term. Holiday Sales Boom: 4 Retail Stocks Ready for 2026 Gains
• Neutral Sentiment: Outlook pieces on what investors can expect in 2026 summarize growth drivers and risks but offer no new catalyst; useful for modeling but not market-moving on its own. What investors can expect from Costco in 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Consumer-content pieces (popular frozen breakfast picks and most-returned foods) reflect member engagement and product issues but are unlikely to move fundamentals. Costco Frozen Breakfast Foods That Are Worth Buying, According To Reddit 10 Costco Foods That Shoppers Return The Most
• Neutral Sentiment: Guides on buying precious metals at Costco show ancillary services but are immaterial to overall earnings. How to buy gold, silver, and other precious metals from Costco online and in-store
• Negative Sentiment: Jim Cramer criticized the tone and handling of Costco’s last conference call, signaling concerns over management communication that can pressure sentiment. Jim Cramer on Costco: “We Did Not Like the Way the Conference Call Went When They Reported Last”
• Negative Sentiment: Roth Capital and other analysts point to convenience and competitive issues as drivers of a disappointing year, keeping pressure on near-term comps and sentiment. Roth Capital’s Bill Kirk points out convenience issues behind Costco’s disappointing year
• Negative Sentiment: Opinion pieces suggesting other stocks to buy ahead of Costco emphasize that COST remains relatively expensive and has had a down year — a reminder valuation could cap upside. 1 Stock I’d Buy Before Costco (COST) in 2026

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on COST shares. Evercore ISI cut their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,025.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, September 26th. Guggenheim restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday. Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $1,100.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, December 12th. Robert W. Baird reduced their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,000.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, December 12th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, October 9th. Eighteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $987.58.

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Tiffany Marie Barbre sold 1,239 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, October 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $934.62, for a total transaction of $1,157,994.18. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 5,155 shares in the company, valued at $4,817,966.10. The trade was a 19.38% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 2,400 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, November 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $930.13, for a total value of $2,232,312.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 2,000 shares in the company, valued at $1,860,260. This trade represents a 54.55% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 9,720 shares of company stock valued at $9,010,257 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

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.