Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Sold by Alphinity Investment Management Pty Ltd

Alphinity Investment Management Pty Ltd decreased its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 24.3% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 408,002 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 130,987 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale accounts for approximately 3.7% of Alphinity Investment Management Pty Ltd’s portfolio, making the stock its 17th largest position. Alphinity Investment Management Pty Ltd owned about 0.09% of Costco Wholesale worth $377,659,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 4.4% during the 2nd quarter. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC now owns 262 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $259,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Graney & King LLC increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 6.8% in the second quarter. Graney & King LLC now owns 173 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $171,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Seneschal Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 0.4% during the second quarter. Seneschal Advisors LLC now owns 3,142 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $3,110,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Busey Bank lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.4% during the 3rd quarter. Busey Bank now owns 2,651 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,454,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Pasadena Private Wealth LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. Pasadena Private Wealth LLC now owns 1,403 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,299,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $939.00, for a total value of $1,408,500.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 44,837 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $42,101,943. This represents a 3.24% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Javier Polit sold 2,049 shares of the stock in a transaction 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 sale, the executive vice president owned 10,748 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,320,773.08. This trade represents a 16.01% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last three months, insiders sold 6,915 shares of company stock worth $6,317,097. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

COST has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Sanford C. Bernstein upped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,134.00 to $1,146.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Northcoast Research set a $1,100.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 24th. Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday. Finally, BTIG Research began coverage on Costco Wholesale in a report on Tuesday, October 14th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $1,115.00 target price for the company. Twenty-one research 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. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,006.19.

More Costco Wholesale News

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 Trading Up 1.2%

NASDAQ:COST opened at $1,001.16 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,078.23. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $914.61 and a 200-day simple moving average of $930.51. The company has a market capitalization of $444.38 billion, a PE ratio of 53.62, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.98 and a beta of 1.01.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 EPS 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 analysts’ expectations of $67.03 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.96% and a return on equity of 29.35%. The firm’s revenue was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $4.04 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 30th will be paid a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 27.85%.

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.