Ameriflex Group Inc. Boosts Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Ameriflex Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 133.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 6,175 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 3,535 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale accounts for 2.1% of Ameriflex Group Inc.’s portfolio, making the stock its 6th biggest holding. Ameriflex Group Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $5,716,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 49.3% during the third quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated now owns 3,780 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,499,000 after purchasing an additional 1,248 shares during the period. Permanent Capital Management LP bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at $874,000. Wealthspire Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.0% during the 2nd quarter. Wealthspire Advisors LLC now owns 15,799 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $15,640,000 after buying an additional 312 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.7% in the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 43,356,271 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $42,920,107,000 after acquiring an additional 711,560 shares during the period. Finally, Exchange Traded Concepts LLC raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 43.6% in the 3rd quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 23,444 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $21,700,000 after acquiring an additional 7,116 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 double‑beat — Costco reported revenue of ~$69.6B and GAAP EPS of $4.58, with comp‑store strength and membership fee growth that underpin near‑term sales momentum. This is the main catalyst supporting the rally. Costco Wholesale beats quarterly comparable sales estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades and higher price targets — several brokers (notably a large Street high by BMO cited in coverage) raised targets and reiterated outperform/overweight views, adding upward pressure. Costco Stock Scores New Street‑High Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Capital returns & balance‑sheet strength — commentary and notes on buybacks, a rising cash pile and the “special dividend” thesis are attracting income/return‑focused investors and support further upside. Costco Wholesale: Buy Now, Get Paid Later as Cash and Returns Build
• Positive Sentiment: Digital and membership momentum — online sales growth (~22.6%) and rising membership income are cited on the call as durable drivers of mix and margins, supporting investor confidence. Costco Digital Innovations Fuel 22.6% Online Growth
• Neutral Sentiment: Mixed analyst moves — while many raised targets, a few (e.g., Goldman) trimmed targets even as they kept buy calls; that creates a mix of conviction levels among institutional holders. Goldman Sachs adjusts price target on Costco
• Neutral Sentiment: Muted market reaction — despite the beat, some headlines note a tepid price move (and some pre‑market weakness) as investors weigh valuation metrics versus growth. That can lead to intraday volatility. Costco Stock Exhibits Muted Reaction Amid Double‑Beat Earnings Report
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation concerns and “red flags” narrative — some outlets argue the stock is expensive (high P/E, PEG) and list risks that could cap upside; those narratives are pressuring more value‑sensitive investors. Is Costco Too Expensive? 3 Red Flags That Could Send Shares Sliding

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

COST has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Daiwa Securities Group reduced their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $947.00 to $917.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. Hovde Group started coverage on Costco Wholesale in a report on Tuesday, November 18th. They set a “market perform” rating and a $16.00 price target for the company. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $1,050.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,171.00 to $1,088.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,035.35.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other news, Director Susan L. Decker sold 458 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $955.00, for a total value of $437,390.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 8,532 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,148,060. This trade represents a 5.09% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $916.32, for a total transaction of $1,374,480.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 8,240 shares in the company, valued at $7,550,476.80. The trade was a 15.40% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last three months, insiders have sold 6,915 shares of company stock valued at $6,317,097. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

COST stock opened at $998.10 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $961.64 and a 200-day moving average of $936.05. The firm has a market capitalization of $443.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 51.90, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.70 and a beta of 1.01. 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 issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 29.37% and a net margin of 2.99%.Costco Wholesale’s revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $4.02 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 30th were paid 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 of this dividend was Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is 27.85%.

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.