Profund Advisors LLC Sells 1,854 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Profund Advisors LLC lowered its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 4.9% in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 35,914 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 1,854 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale makes up 1.1% of Profund Advisors LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 13th biggest holding. Profund Advisors LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $33,243,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Soundwatch Capital LLC lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 635.7% in the second quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC now owns 2,553 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 2,206 shares during the period. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 2nd quarter valued at $31,000. Collier Financial bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth about $35,000. AXS Investments LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth about $36,000. Finally, Financial Connections Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 975.0% during the 2nd quarter. Financial Connections Group Inc. now owns 43 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $42,000 after acquiring an additional 39 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total transaction of $838,321.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 4,228 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,169,907.28. This represents a 16.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $916.32, for a total value of $1,374,480.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 8,240 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,550,476.80. This represents a 15.40% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 6,915 shares of company stock worth $6,317,097. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Management’s January sales report showed solid comp growth and digital strength, which traders have credited for recent upside in COST. Costco Stock Rallies On Strong January Sales
• Positive Sentiment: Oppenheimer raised its price target to $1,100 and kept an Outperform rating — a bullish signal that increases upside expectations from Wall Street. Oppenheimer adjusts PT on Costco Wholesale
• Positive Sentiment: Mizuho also lifted its target (to $1,065) and kept an Outperform rating, citing rebounding membership trends — supportive for longer-term revenue and renewal visibility. Mizuho Raises Costco Target as Membership Trends Rebound
• Positive Sentiment: Macro flows: BofA flagged record inflows into consumer staples amid a tech selloff, helping defensive retailers like Costco attract demand. Walmart, Costco, XLP Surge As BofA Flags Record Inflows
• Positive Sentiment: Store expansion and membership initiatives (Cam arillo opening timeline; moves to fix membership issues) support continued sales growth and member retention. Costco Camarillo gets opening timeline
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage is mixed: Wells Fargo raised its PT to $950 but keeps an Equal Weight, and DA Davidson reiterated a Neutral rating with a $1,000 target — results in varied near-term views. Wells Fargo raises PT on Costco DA Davidson reaffirms neutral
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data posted today is effectively zero/invalid (no actionable change), so it isn’t driving price action. (Entry shows 0 shares and NaN increase.)
• Neutral Sentiment: Consumer-interest pieces and product buzz (e.g., viral food items, product availability lists) are getting social attention but are unlikely to move fundamentals materially. Costco cookie cake reactions
• Negative Sentiment: Roth MKM and some cautious analysts warn about a possible stockpiling reversal (inventory normalization) that could slow comps in February — a risk investors are watching. Costco stock climbs after strong January sales (blockonomi)
• Negative Sentiment: Jim Cramer and others flagged that Costco has been selling discounted luxury items in Chinese warehouses — an oddity that raises questions about merchandising controls and brand perception overseas. Jim Cramer on discounted Hermès Birkin items

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $1,001.16 on Monday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $914.61 and a 200 day simple moving average of $930.44. The stock has a market capitalization of $444.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 53.62, a P/E/G ratio of 5.28 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,078.23.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last posted its quarterly earnings data 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 net margin of 2.96% and a return on equity of 29.35%. The firm had revenue of $67.31 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $67.03 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $4.04 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed 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 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is 27.85%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms recently issued reports on COST. TD Cowen reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Guggenheim reiterated a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. Sanford C. Bernstein increased their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,134.00 to $1,146.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, December 12th. Raymond James Financial decreased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,070.00 to $1,000.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,218.00 to $1,171.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Twenty-one equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,006.19.

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.