Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc. Sells 1,065 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc. lessened its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 4.4% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 23,099 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 1,065 shares during the period. Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $19,919,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth about $5,692,035,000. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. increased its position in Costco Wholesale by 1,586.8% in the 4th quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 1,137,436 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $980,857,000 after acquiring an additional 1,070,005 shares in the last quarter. Amundi increased its position in Costco Wholesale by 45.0% in the 3rd quarter. Amundi now owns 3,176,606 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,893,697,000 after acquiring an additional 986,182 shares in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 9.8% in the second quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,291,557 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $4,248,384,000 after acquiring an additional 383,887 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Voloridge Investment Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 112.2% in the third quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC now owns 477,425 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $441,919,000 after acquiring an additional 252,453 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have recently commented on the stock. Daiwa Securities Group increased their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 10th. HSBC dropped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,045.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Bank of America initiated coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, February 27th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $1,185.00 price objective on the stock. Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Gordon Haskett boosted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,039.13.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco is testing standalone gas stations, a move that could deepen its membership moat by turning fuel into a traffic and retention tool, supporting long‑term comps and membership revenue. Costco Is Launching Standalone Gas Stations. Why the Heck Does Wall Street Care?
• Positive Sentiment: Rising gas prices are likely to benefit Costco because its low pump pricing drives membership signups/renewals and consistent store traffic — making fuel a strategic advantage rather than a profit center. Will Rising Gas Prices Send Costco’s Stock Higher?
• Positive Sentiment: Erste Group raised its FY2026 and FY2027 EPS forecasts (FY2026 → $20.43; FY2027 → $22.47), signaling stronger-than-expected profit momentum versus consensus — a direct bullish catalyst for earnings expectations. Erste Group Raises Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: New Kirkland‑branded energy drinks are drawing strong member interest and are pressuring rivals (e.g., Celsius), showing Costco can use private‑label launches to win share and margin—a tailwind for sales and membership value. Why Costco’s cheap new Kirkland energy drink won’t crush Celsius
• Positive Sentiment: Local expansion: Costco secured a Polaris site in Columbus, adding capacity in a growth market and signaling continued store footprint growth that supports membership gains over time. Costco Grabs Polaris Plot For Bigger Columbus Footprint
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts remain broadly bullish with a consensus price target near $1,100, but the coverage notes increasing concerns around membership-growth trends and the stock’s valuation — mixed signals for near‑term momentum. Analysts Bullish on Costco Despite Concerns
• Neutral Sentiment: Product/competition coverage (press and ETFs): commentary about the COSW covered‑call ETF and media pieces on Costco deals/products may influence sentiment but don’t alter fundamentals. COSW Sells Away Costco’s Upside
• Neutral Sentiment: Regulatory/consumer refund watch: FedEx, Costco and UPS are named as targets for consumer tariff refund programs — could produce one‑time benefits but uncertain impact. FedEx, Costco, UPS Are Main Targets for Consumer Tariff Refunds
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation risk: COST trades at a premium multiple (PE ~51, PEG ~4.8) — strong execution is already priced in, so any slowdown in membership growth or comp traffic could pressure the stock despite positive operational news. Analysts Flag Membership & Valuation Risks

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 0.5%

COST opened at $979.65 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $986.29 and a 200 day simple moving average of $939.17. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,067.08. The company has a market cap of $434.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 50.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.81 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.59.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $68.96 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $4.02 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate 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 given a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 27.04%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the company’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 completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 4,228 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,169,907.28. This represents a 16.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of the 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 transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 44,837 shares in the company, valued at $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. Insiders sold 7,645 shares of company stock valued at $7,049,302 over the last quarter. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

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.