Capitolis Liquid Global Markets LLC Has $281.28 Million Stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Capitolis Liquid Global Markets LLC cut its Costco stake by 17.3% to 303,882 shares (about $281.28 million), making Costco its 9th largest holding and ~2.2% of its portfolio.
• Costco beat Q2 expectations with EPS of $4.58 vs. $4.55 and revenue of $69.60 billion vs. $68.96 billion (revenue +9.2% YoY), supported by membership growth and higher‑margin premium sign‑ups.
• Multiple proposed class‑action suits over tariff refunds create legal and PR overhang that could introduce liability and headline-driven volatility until resolved.

Capitolis Liquid Global Markets LLC lessened its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 17.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 303,882 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 63,418 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale makes up about 2.2% of Capitolis Liquid Global Markets LLC's investment portfolio, making the stock its 9th largest position. Capitolis Liquid Global Markets LLC owned 0.07% of Costco Wholesale worth $281,282,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 49.3% in the third quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated now owns 3,780 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $3,499,000 after acquiring an additional 1,248 shares during the period. Permanent Capital Management LP acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter worth about $874,000. Wealthspire Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 2.0% during the second quarter. Wealthspire Advisors LLC now owns 15,799 shares of the retailer's stock worth $15,640,000 after purchasing an additional 312 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.7% during the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 43,356,271 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $42,920,107,000 after purchasing an additional 711,560 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Exchange Traded Concepts LLC boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 43.6% during the third quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 23,444 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $21,700,000 after purchasing an additional 7,116 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ:COST opened at $1,008.43 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $447.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 52.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.10 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,067.08. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $975.52 and a 200-day moving average of $937.14.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The business's revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $4.02 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors 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 payout ratio is currently 27.04%.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 beat and membership strength: Costco reported stronger-than-expected FQ2 results (revenue and EPS beats) and management highlighted membership growth and traffic as key drivers, underpinning confidence in recurring fee income and sales momentum. Costco Reports $68.24B FQ2 Sales
• Positive Sentiment: Membership mix and premium sign‑ups: Executive membership growth (near 40M members, +~9%) supports higher-margin recurring fee income and may sustain revenue per member. This is a structural tailwind for margins and cash flow. Is a $130 Costco executive membership the new VIP status?
• Positive Sentiment: In‑warehouse innovation and product drops: Expanded in‑warehouse experiences, curated product drops (e.g., fashion/brand collaborations) and new assortments (including third‑party brands like Hiboy e‑bikes) are helping traffic and impulse sales. Costco Expands In‑Warehouse Experiences Hiboy C1 E‑Bike Lands at Costco
• Neutral Sentiment: Digital growth and traffic resilience: Management says digital sales and e‑commerce expansion remain contributors to growth, but macro headwinds (e.g., energy-driven pressure on discretionary budgets) add uncertainty to near‑term sales cadence. Costco Says Shoppers Are Still Spending Rising gas prices could offset tax refunds
• Neutral Sentiment: Insider sale: An EVP disclosed a sale of ~730 shares; the size is immaterial relative to Costco’s market cap and does not signal a clear change in insider confidence. Executive Form 4
• Negative Sentiment: Tariff‑refund lawsuits create legal overhang: Multiple proposed class‑action suits allege Costco must pass along refunds to customers after the Supreme Court struck down certain Trump‑era tariffs; plaintiffs seek substantial recoveries and class status, introducing potential liability, administrative burden and PR risk until resolved. Reuters: Costco customers sue
• Negative Sentiment: Complex legal landscape: Coverage notes the situation is “messy” — Costco has also pursued government action to recover tariff amounts, but parallel suits against the company could keep volatility and headline risk elevated until legal outcomes and any government refunds are clarified. Barron's: Tariff refunds are getting messy

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total value of $838,321.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 4,228 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $4,169,907.28. The trade was a 16.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $916.32, for a total transaction of $1,374,480.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 8,240 shares in the company, valued at $7,550,476.80. The trade was a 15.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 7,645 shares of company stock worth $7,049,302 over the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Roth Mkm reiterated a "sell" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. HSBC decreased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,045.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "hold (c+)" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Guggenheim reiterated a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. Finally, Mizuho lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,065.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,039.13.

Costco Wholesale Company 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.

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