Merit Financial Group LLC Boosts Stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Merit Financial Group LLC increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 1.6% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 32,724 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 516 shares during the quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $30,291,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the second quarter valued at approximately $5,692,035,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 96,316.6% during the 2nd quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,378,758 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,364,888,000 after buying an additional 1,377,328 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.7% in the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 43,356,271 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $42,920,107,000 after buying an additional 711,560 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 9.8% in the 2nd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,291,557 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $4,248,384,000 after buying an additional 383,887 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Symphony Financial Ltd. Co. grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 15,055.5% in the second quarter. Symphony Financial Ltd. Co. now owns 320,994 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $317,722,000 after acquiring an additional 318,876 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 2.0%

Shares of COST opened at $1,018.48 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $452.07 billion, a P/E ratio of 54.55, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.37 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 1.04 and a quick ratio of 0.53. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,077.49. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $925.57 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $933.10.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released 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 for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate 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 quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $4.04 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Friday, January 30th were given 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 payout ratio is currently 27.85%.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $916.32, for a total value of $1,374,480.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 8,240 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,550,476.80. The trade was a 15.40% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Susan L. Decker sold 458 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $955.00, for a total value of $437,390.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 8,532 shares in the company, valued at $8,148,060. This trade represents a 5.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 6,915 shares of company stock valued at $6,317,097 in the last 90 days. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks highlights a “dual engine” for growth — e-commerce comps up ~20.5% and new store openings driving outsized sales, supporting revenue and same-store-sales momentum. Costco’s Digital Demand and Warehouse Strength Create a Dual Engine
• Positive Sentiment: Rollout of mobile/online ordering for custom cakes and deli trays improves convenience and fulfillment options — could raise transaction frequency and average ticket in clubs. Costco cake online ordering is coming
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage noting that prominent billionaires hold large positions in Costco lends a governance/endorsement narrative that can support investor confidence. 3 Billionaires Have One Key Stock As Their Largest Holding. You’ll Be Surprised to Know What It Is.
• Neutral Sentiment: Reported short-interest notes are inconsistent (data shows 0 shares and 0 days-to-cover), so there’s no clear evidence of rising short pressure to amplify moves.
• Neutral Sentiment: Stories celebrating long-term share performance (e.g., “If you invested $1,000…” pieces) support sentiment but are descriptive rather than catalytic. If You Invested $1000 in Costco a Decade Ago, This is How Much It’d Be Worth Now
• Negative Sentiment: A lawsuit alleging rotisserie chicken contamination introduces legal, recall and reputational risk; investors should watch for case developments and any operational impact. Costco Lawsuit Over Rotisserie Chicken Contamination And Investor Considerations
• Negative Sentiment: Consumer pieces on products to avoid (Kirkland items) and reports that Costco is tightening return policies could weigh on customer experience/reputation if they gain traction. 7 Kirkland Signature Foods And Drinks Costco Shoppers Avoid Buying Costco quietly cracks down on returns

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have issued reports on COST. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $1,044.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, February 5th. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,218.00 to $1,171.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, December 12th. Hovde Group initiated coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Tuesday, November 18th. They issued a “market perform” rating and a $16.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,050.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Twenty-two 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. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,009.00.

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.