Bailard Inc. Trims Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Bailard Inc. lessened its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 2.2% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 40,108 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 909 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale comprises about 0.8% of Bailard Inc.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 27th largest position. Bailard Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $37,125,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the second quarter worth about $5,692,035,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 96,316.6% during the 2nd quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,378,758 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,364,888,000 after buying an additional 1,377,328 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.7% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 43,356,271 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $42,920,107,000 after buying an additional 711,560 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 9.8% in the 2nd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,291,557 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $4,248,384,000 after acquiring an additional 383,887 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Symphony Financial Ltd. Co. increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 15,055.5% in the 2nd quarter. Symphony Financial Ltd. Co. now owns 320,994 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $317,722,000 after acquiring an additional 318,876 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of COST stock opened at $964.26 on Wednesday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,078.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 1.04 and a quick ratio of 0.53. The firm has a market capitalization of $428.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.65, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.77 and a beta of 1.02. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $896.67 and a 200 day simple moving average of $929.57.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share for the quarter, beating 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 firm had revenue of $67.31 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $67.03 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $4.04 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Friday, January 30th will be given a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is currently 27.85%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on the company. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, October 9th. Cowen restated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Roth Capital set a $769.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale and gave the company a “sell” rating in a report on Monday, December 15th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Mizuho set a $1,000.00 target price on Costco Wholesale and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Twenty-one investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $996.00.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Warehouse expansion and faster new-store ramp-ups signal durable growth runway and better utilization of sites, supporting long-term sales and membership gains. Costco’s Warehouse Expansion Strategy Fuels Long-Term Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Retail sales momentum: December sales came in strong and helped extend a recent rally — reinforces resilient traffic and membership trends that drive recurring revenue. Costco Stock Rallies on December Sales
• Positive Sentiment: Card benefits improved: Costco has quietly boosted gas rewards for co-branded cardholders (to 5% at Costco pumps), a member incentive likely to help retention and spend. Costco quietly boosts gas rewards for branded credit card holders
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst/visitor pieces highlight Costco as a durable long-term holding (strong member loyalty, steady comps) but flag a high valuation and moderate growth that may limit near-term upside from current levels. Useful for long-term investors evaluating entry price. Is Costco Stock a Long-Term Buy for Everyday Investors?
• Neutral Sentiment: Brand/supplier shift: Costco is switching its food-court beverage supplier back to Coca‑Cola after a decade with Pepsi — a merchandising/partnership change with limited near-term financial impact but some margin/brand implications. Costco Switches Food Court Back to Coke After Decade With Pepsi
• Negative Sentiment: Insider sale: Director Susan L. Decker sold 458 shares (~$955 avg), reducing her stake — a small disclosed sale that some investors view negatively as timing/insight into valuation. Susan L. Decker Insider Sale
• Negative Sentiment: Competitive pressure: Coverage notes a large grocery rival launching an expansion push — increased competition could pressure share gains or margins in some markets over time. Huge Costco grocery rival launches expansion plans

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 2,400 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $930.13, for a total value of $2,232,312.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 2,000 shares in the company, valued at $1,860,260. This trade represents a 54.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Javier Polit sold 2,049 shares of the firm’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 transaction of $1,776,913.29. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 10,748 shares in the company, valued at $9,320,773.08. This represents a 16.01% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold a total of 12,404 shares of company stock worth $11,395,418 over the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

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.