Cozad Asset Management Inc. Reduces Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Cozad Asset Management Inc. cut its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 8.9% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 15,251 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 1,498 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale comprises approximately 1.1% of Cozad Asset Management Inc.’s portfolio, making the stock its 23rd largest position. Cozad Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $14,116,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of COST. Soundwatch Capital LLC boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 635.7% in the 2nd quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC now owns 2,553 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 2,206 shares during the period. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the second quarter worth approximately $31,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Collier Financial purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth approximately $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth approximately $36,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ COST opened at $998.12 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $443.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 53.46, a PEG ratio of 5.20 and a beta of 1.01. The business’s 50 day moving average is $939.83 and its two-hundred day moving average is $934.41. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,067.08. 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 (NASDAQ:COST) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.27 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $67.31 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $67.03 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 29.35% and a net margin of 2.96%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $4.04 earnings per share. Research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 30th were issued a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 27.85%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Citigroup reiterated a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday. Guggenheim reissued a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $1,155.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Raymond James Financial lowered their target price 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, UBS Group reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, December 12th. Twenty-one research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,008.07.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In related news, Director Susan L. Decker sold 458 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $955.00, for a total transaction of $437,390.00. Following the sale, the director owned 8,532 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,148,060. The trade was a 5.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated 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 in the company, valued at $4,169,907.28. The trade was a 16.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 6,915 shares of company stock valued at $6,317,097. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Broad-based comparable-sales strength: Costco reported rising traffic, ticket growth and digital gains across the U.S., Canada and international markets, supporting continued revenue momentum. Why Costco’s Comparable Sales Strength Looks Broad-Based Globally
• Positive Sentiment: Product rollouts driving traffic and category expansion: Costco is widening distribution of Levels Whey Protein and introduced a popular new double‑chocolate mint sundae — both items can boost in‑store visits and membership retention. Costco Expands Levels Whey Protein Costco’s new sundae becomes sweet sensation
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst coverage is constructive overall: independent note shows consensus around a “Moderate Buy” rating and several analyst pieces highlight Costco’s stable profit profile, which can support demand for shares. Given Average Rating of ‘Moderate Buy’
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor attention is elevated: Zacks and other outlets note heavy search/interest in COST, which can increase short‑term volume and volatility but is not directional by itself. Investors Heavily Search Costco
• Neutral Sentiment: Macro/tariff context: analysis notes Costco may benefit from tariff rollbacks (lower input costs), but that thesis is partially offset by current premium valuation levels. A Tariff-Rollback Winner
• Negative Sentiment: New legal risk: Costco is facing another lawsuit related to its rotisserie chicken, creating potential legal expenses, reputational risk and headline volatility. Costco faces yet another lawsuit over its rotisserie chicken
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation concerns and relative underperformance: several analysts and commentators argue Costco’s multiple is rich (labels like “unreasonable valuation”) and note the stock has underperformed the S&P 500 over the past year — pressures that can limit further upside and invite profit‑taking. Fantastic Company, Unreasonable Valuation Is Costco Underperforming the S&P 500?

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.