Eastover Investment Advisors LLC Raises Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Eastover Investment Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 13.0% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 7,831 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 901 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale comprises about 3.0% of Eastover Investment Advisors LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 19th largest position. Eastover Investment Advisors LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $6,753,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in COST. Hurley Capital LLC increased its position in Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 18 shares during the period. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Collier Financial acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at approximately $35,000. AXS Investments LLC purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth approximately $36,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth approximately $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $974.86 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.59. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $985.83 and a 200-day simple moving average of $938.89. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,067.08. The stock has a market capitalization of $432.50 billion, a PE ratio of 50.69, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.81 and a beta of 1.01.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. Costco Wholesale’s quarterly revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $4.02 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 30th were issued 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 payout ratio is presently 27.04%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $939.00, for a total value of $1,408,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 44,837 shares in the company, valued at $42,101,943. This trade represents a 3.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Javier Polit sold 2,049 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred 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 completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 10,748 shares in the company, valued at $9,320,773.08. This represents a 16.01% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 7,645 shares of company stock valued at $7,049,302. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts recently commented on the stock. Citigroup reiterated a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $1,155.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Raymond James Financial lifted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,060.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Northcoast Research set a $1,100.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 24th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,039.13.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s new Kirkland energy drink is being positioned as a value private‑label offering that should drive incremental sales and hurt branded competitors — this is seen by markets as a low‑cost growth lever for Costco. Why Costco’s cheap new Kirkland energy drink won’t crush Celsius
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage highlights strong member response to the Kirkland energy drink and frames the launch as another example of Costco using its private label to expand assortments and margins — a near‑term positive for top‑line and gross‑margin outlooks. Costco’s new energy drink delights fans, rattles competition
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple outlets note that Costco’s product expansion is putting pressure on smaller branded peers (e.g., Celsius), which markets interpreted as confirmation that Costco can capture share in higher‑growth categories. Celsius Stock Jolted After Costco Offers Energy-Drink Brand for Less
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage remains broadly positive: consensus price target implies material upside, but reports flag rising concerns about membership growth and valuation — a mixed signal for future returns. Analysts Bullish on Costco Wholesale (COST) Despite Increasing Concerns Regarding Membership Growth Trends and Valuation
• Positive Sentiment: Analyses on Costco’s gas‑pricing strategy emphasize it as a membership retention/acquisition tool that stabilizes traffic and revenue — supportive for recurring revenue and same‑store trends. Here’s Why Costco’s Gas Pricing Strategy Is Good News for Shareholders
• Negative Sentiment: Separate pieces call out valuation worries and include Costco on lists of overvalued names — a reminder that the stock’s premium multiple leaves it vulnerable to sentiment shifts if membership or comp trends slow. 5 Most Overvalued Companies According to the Media
• Neutral Sentiment: Regulatory/legal flow: Bloomberg Law flags Costco as a target in consumer tariff‑refund actions — keep an eye on potential filings, though no immediate financial impact has been reported. FedEx, Costco, UPS Are Main Targets for Consumer Tariff Refunds

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.