Javier Polit Sells 2,049 Shares of Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) Stock

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) EVP Javier Polit sold 2,049 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $867.21, for a total value of $1,776,913.29. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 10,748 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,320,773.08. This represents a 16.01% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink.

Javier Polit also recently made the following trade(s):

• On Tuesday, December 30th, Javier Polit sold 558 shares of Costco Wholesale stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $862.89, for a total value of $481,492.62.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of COST stock opened at $862.34 on Friday. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $896.34 and its 200 day simple moving average is $935.81. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,078.23. The firm has a market cap of $382.77 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.19, a P/E/G ratio of 5.17 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 1.04 and a quick ratio of 0.53.

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, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.27 by $0.07. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 29.35% and a net margin of 2.96%.The company had revenue of $67.31 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $67.03 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $4.04 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect 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 given a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, October 31st. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is 27.85%.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Recent quarter: Costco beat consensus EPS and revenue (EPS $4.34 vs. $4.27; revenue $67.31B) and showed mid‑single digit revenue growth, reinforcing the company’s resilient membership model and steady cash flow. MarketBeat – COST data & earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Expansion: Costco is moving to open two new Ontario locations — continued warehouse growth supports long‑term revenue and membership fee expansion. Costco takes steps to open two new locations in Ontario
• Positive Sentiment: Promotions & merch: Membership promotions and ongoing new product assortments can help recruit/retain members and boost near‑term cash flow and traffic. Score a $40 Digital Costco Shop Card with a $65 Gold Star Membership
• Positive Sentiment: Stock‑split chatter: Commentary naming COST as a potential stock‑split candidate can attract retail interest and short‑term demand if expectations build. These Are The 3 Stock Split Candidates Heading Into 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Consumer/PR pieces (hours, shopping lists, retrospective returns) keep brand visibility high but are not immediate catalysts for the stock. Examples include New Year’s hours and lifestyle articles. Is Costco open or closed on New Year’s Day 2026? Must-Try Costco New Arrivals For January 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Macro/positioning pieces label Costco as a premium defensive name — useful for long‑term allocation but not an immediate price driver. Are These 3 Leading Defensive Stocks Too Crowded Heading Into 2026?
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: EVP Javier Polit sold roughly 2,600 shares across late‑December transactions (~$862–$867 avg), materially reducing his position. Repeated/large insider sales can sap sentiment by signaling personal liquidity taking rather than conviction. SEC Form 4 – Javier Polit
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation pressure: COST trades at elevated multiples (P/E ~46), leaving limited margin for error — any slowdown vs. analyst expectations or macro weakness could trigger multiple compression. Market data & valuation
• Negative Sentiment: Operational risk: a recent cargo/theft incident affecting product bound for Costco is an isolated but tangible reminder of supply‑chain shrink risk and potential cost exposure. Oysters, crab and $400,000 worth of lobster meat stolen in New England

Institutional Trading of Costco Wholesale

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Bulwark Capital Corp acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the second quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Soundwatch Capital LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 635.7% during the 2nd quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC now owns 2,553 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 2,206 shares during the last quarter. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter valued at $31,000. Hurley Capital LLC lifted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares during the period. Finally, Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth $34,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $900.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, December 19th. Wolfe Research started coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, September 18th. They issued a “peer perform” rating for the company. Cowen reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, December 12th. BMO Capital Markets restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,218.00 to $1,171.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, December 12th. Nineteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $992.08.

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.