Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Sold by Northeast Investment Management

Northeast Investment Management lessened its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 1.1% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 92,296 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 1,062 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale makes up approximately 3.4% of Northeast Investment Management’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 6th largest position. Northeast Investment Management’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $85,432,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in COST. Soundwatch Capital LLC grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 635.7% during the second quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC now owns 2,553 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 2,206 shares in the last quarter. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $31,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $34,000. Collier Financial bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Digital and warehouse growth remain strong (e‑commerce comps +20.5%, new stores boosting sales), supporting longer‑term revenue momentum. Costco’s Digital Demand and Warehouse Strength Create a Dual Engine
• Positive Sentiment: Member enthusiasm for new food‑court offering (McDonald’s‑style item) is positive for in‑club traffic and ancillary sales. Costco launches McDonald’s copycat food court item that members call ‘top notch’
• Positive Sentiment: New mobile ordering for cakes/deli could improve customer convenience and drive higher average tickets for the deli category. Costco cake online ordering is coming
• Neutral Sentiment: Rothschild & Co Redburn raised its price target to $1,000 but kept a “neutral” rating — the PT is close to current levels, giving limited directional push. Rothschild & Co Redburn adjusts PT on Costco Wholesale to $1,000
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage and valuation commentary continue to evolve; a recent roundup of analyst moves highlights mixed views that could keep share volatility elevated. How Recent Analyst Moves Are Shaping The Costco Wholesale (COST) Valuation Story
• Neutral Sentiment: Short‑interest reporting in mid‑February shows effectively zero reported short position (data contains anomalies), so short squeeze dynamics are unlikely to be a driver. (internal short‑interest entries)
• Negative Sentiment: Gift cards sold at Costco are at risk after the issuer declared bankruptcy, creating potential consumer refunds/liability and reputational concern. Gift cards sold at Costco at risk after issuer declares sudden bankruptcy
• Negative Sentiment: Related recall: Costco issued a recall on certain restaurant gift cards, which amplifies near‑term consumer and operational risk. Costco issues recall on restaurant gift cards
• Negative Sentiment: Legal exposure: Costco faces a U.S. class action alleging salmonella risk (and separate rotisserie‑chicken complaint coverage), which could mean litigation costs, recalls or reputational damage if claims progress. Costco hit by US class action over salmonella risk claims

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $1,012.05 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $449.22 billion, a P/E ratio of 54.21, a P/E/G ratio of 5.37 and a beta of 1.01. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,071.00. 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 company’s 50 day moving average price is $928.05 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $933.51.

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 the consensus estimate of $4.27 by $0.07. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.96% and a return on equity of 29.35%. The company had revenue of $67.31 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $67.03 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $4.04 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share 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 of this dividend was Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 27.85%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on COST shares. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, December 29th. Roth Mkm reissued a “sell” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Truist Financial reduced their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,033.00 to $926.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Raymond James Financial decreased their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,070.00 to $1,000.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, December 12th. Finally, Hovde Group began coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Tuesday, November 18th. They set a “market perform” rating and a $16.00 price objective for the company. Twenty-one research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,008.07.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated 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. This trade represents a 15.40% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total value of $838,321.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 4,228 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,169,907.28. The trade was a 16.74% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 6,915 shares of company stock valued at $6,317,097. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

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.