Cardano Risk Management B.V. Lowers Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Cardano Risk Management B.V. cut its Costco stake by 89.5% in the first quarter, selling 1.6 million shares and leaving it with 187,243 shares worth about $186.6 million.
• Insider activity was also mixed: Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares at an average price of $957.45, a relatively small transaction but one that may add near-term caution.
• Analysts remain broadly positive on Costco, with an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of about $1,061.45, while the company also recently raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share.

Cardano Risk Management B.V. trimmed its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 89.5% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 187,243 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 1,597,837 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale comprises 1.8% of Cardano Risk Management B.V.'s portfolio, making the stock its 15th biggest holding. Cardano Risk Management B.V.'s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $186,574,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at $31,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $33,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. This trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have commented on the company. HC Wainwright reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Daiwa Securities Group raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 10th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $1,020.00 target price on the stock. Finally, UBS Group lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 20th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,061.45.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco is expanding its ancillary business with the opening of its first standalone gas station in Mission Viejo, California, which reinforces the company’s ability to deepen member engagement and support traffic beyond warehouse sales. Costco’s first standalone gas station opens in Southern California
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage highlighting Costco’s cash generation and the possibility of a special dividend later in 2026 is likely supporting investor optimism, since such payouts can be a meaningful catalyst for shareholder returns. Costco's Cash Pile Is Building. Is a Special Dividend Coming in the Second Half of 2026?
• Positive Sentiment: Investor interest is rising, with Costco showing up as a heavily searched stock on Zacks, suggesting traders are actively reassessing the name amid recent news flow. Investors Heavily Search Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST): Here is What You Need to Know
• Neutral Sentiment: Several articles continued to highlight Costco’s strong brand, membership model, and popular product assortments, but these were mostly commentary pieces rather than fresh catalysts. The rise of Costco: An iconic American brand with a fanatic following
• Neutral Sentiment: A director sale of 885 shares by Kenneth Denman was disclosed, but the transaction was relatively small versus his remaining holdings, so the signal is limited even if it adds some caution to sentiment. SEC filing for Kenneth D. Denman transaction
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling can still weigh on shares near term, especially when investors are already focused on valuation and whether Costco’s growth premium is getting stretched. Insider Selling: Costco Wholesale NASDAQ: COST Director Sells 885 Shares of Stock

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 1.1%

COST opened at $952.54 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.07. The company has a market cap of $422.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.91, a PEG ratio of 4.56 and a beta of 0.88. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,096.50. The business's fifty day moving average is $996.07 and its two-hundred day moving average is $970.54.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.94 by ($0.01). Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.The firm had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $70.12 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $4.28 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st were given a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is currently 29.58%.

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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