Aberdeen Group plc Sells 22,905 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Aberdeen Group plc lowered its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 5.9% during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 362,073 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 22,905 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale comprises approximately 0.5% of Aberdeen Group plc’s holdings, making the stock its 23rd largest holding. Aberdeen Group plc owned 0.08% of Costco Wholesale worth $334,563,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Soundwatch Capital LLC increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 635.7% during the second quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC now owns 2,553 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 2,206 shares in the last quarter. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter valued at $31,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at $34,000. Collier Financial acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst price-target upgrades: Bernstein raised its target (to ~$1,155) and Evercore ISI lifted its target to $1,050, keeping upbeat ratings that support upside expectations. Bernstein Boosts COST Target
• Positive Sentiment: Europe expansion: Costco is piloting e‑commerce delivery in Europe, a meaningful new addressable market that could drive long‑term top‑line growth if scaled. Costco Tests European E Commerce Delivery
• Positive Sentiment: Membership & promotions: Ongoing member promotions (e.g., digital shop-card offers) and strong member perks sustain renewal rates and engagement. Get a $20 Digital Costco Shop Card
• Positive Sentiment: Momentum and growth narratives: Multiple Zacks pieces highlight Costco as a momentum/top‑growth stock, supporting investor sentiment around durable comp and digital trends. Here’s Why Costco is a Strong Momentum Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data appears erroneous (reports show 0 shares / NaN changes and a 0.0 days-to-cover ratio); not meaningful as reported and unlikely to explain price moves.
• Neutral Sentiment: Corporate culture/dei: Fortune reports Costco maintained DEI programs while some peers cut back—this may support talent/brand but is not an immediate earnings driver. Costco defied Trump’s DEI directive
• Neutral Sentiment: Customer coverage pieces (both positive “in awe” stories and critiques of recent changes) reflect mixed consumer sentiment—useful for brand monitoring but limited near-term impact. 10 Costco Changes That Made Customers Angry
• Negative Sentiment: Product recall: A recall of mini beignets for undeclared hazelnuts affects operations and could create modest near‑term costs or reputational noise. Costco recalls mini beignets
• Negative Sentiment: Tariff/legal risk: The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear challenges to former‑administration tariffs (Feb. 20); an adverse ruling or delayed refunds could hurt retailer margins or cash recoveries. President Trump’s Tariffs To Face Feb.20 Supreme Court Hearing

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $1,018.48 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $922.96 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $932.51. 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 twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,077.49. The company has a market capitalization of $452.07 billion, a PE ratio of 54.55, a P/E/G ratio of 5.37 and a beta of 1.01.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.27 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $67.31 billion during 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 company’s quarterly revenue was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $4.04 EPS. Research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

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

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP Javier Polit sold 2,049 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, December 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $867.21, for a total transaction 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 represents a 16.01% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $939.00, for a total transaction of $1,408,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 44,837 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $42,101,943. The trade was a 3.24% decrease in their position. 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 currently owned by company insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Truist Financial reduced their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,033.00 to $926.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Mizuho increased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,065.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. BMO Capital Markets reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Raymond James Financial decreased their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,070.00 to $1,000.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Finally, Oppenheimer increased their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,009.00.

About Costco Wholesale

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.