Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Position Decreased by Arista Wealth Management LLC

Key Points

• Arista Wealth Management LLC cut its Costco stake by 15.6% in the fourth quarter, selling 1,114 shares and leaving it with 6,049 shares valued at about $5.2 million.
• Institutional interest in Costco remains strong overall, with several large investors significantly increasing their holdings and institutions owning 68.48% of the company.
• Analysts remain mostly upbeat on Costco: the stock has a Moderate Buy consensus, and the company recently beat quarterly earnings and raised its dividend to $1.47 per share.

Arista Wealth Management LLC decreased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 15.6% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 6,049 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 1,114 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale makes up 0.6% of Arista Wealth Management LLC's portfolio, making the stock its 25th biggest holding. Arista Wealth Management LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $5,216,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in COST. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1,586.8% during 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 purchasing an additional 1,070,005 shares in the last quarter. Amundi boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 45.0% in the third quarter. Amundi now owns 3,176,606 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,893,697,000 after buying an additional 986,182 shares during the period. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 182.4% in the fourth quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 536,059 shares of the retailer's stock worth $462,265,000 after buying an additional 346,208 shares during the period. Voloridge Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings 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 buying an additional 252,453 shares during the period. Finally, PFA Pension Forsikringsaktieselskab acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth about $213,362,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

COST has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Citigroup reiterated a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, February 20th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $1,050.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Costco Wholesale from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 17th. UBS Group raised their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 20th. Finally, Roth Mkm reiterated a "sell" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,052.60.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and media coverage remain constructive, with multiple firms reiterating bullish views and price targets implying upside if Costco delivers another solid quarter. Analyst Reaffirms Buy on Costco, Sees Attractive Upside with Unchanged $1,185 Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Pre-earnings commentary highlights strong monthly sales, membership growth, e-commerce gains, and higher gas prices potentially boosting traffic and top-line momentum. Costco Heads into Earnings with Monthly Sales Already Doing the Heavy Lifting
• Positive Sentiment: Some analysts are calling Costco a top defensive consumer stock, reinforcing its reputation as a steady performer in uncertain markets. Bernstein Calls Costco (COST) a Top Defensive Consumer Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple previews note that investors are largely waiting for Thursday’s earnings report to reset expectations, with the stock seen as capable of moving sharply depending on guidance and margin commentary. Here's How Much Costco Stock Is Expected to Move After Earnings Q3 FY2026
• Neutral Sentiment: There was also a separate headline about an optical-services scheduling issue and a grapevine pest concern involving Costco-sold plants, but these appear limited in scope and are less likely to affect the broader investment thesis. Costco optical customers face frustration trying to schedule eye exams
• Negative Sentiment: Pre-earnings caution and valuation pressure are weighing on the shares, with some market watchers saying it may be prudent to wait for results rather than chase the stock now. Costco Q3 Preview: Stock Could Hit $1,200 Or Fall To $960, Market Expert Says 'Prudent To Wait This One Out'
• Negative Sentiment: A federal jury verdict in a disability discrimination case raised legal and compliance concerns, creating a modest overhang ahead of earnings. Costco Discrimination Verdict Puts Legal And Compliance Risks In Focus

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

NASDAQ COST opened at $1,003.69 on Thursday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $1,008.29 and a 200-day simple moving average of $962.02. 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 firm has a market capitalization of $445.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.93 and a beta of 0.92. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $69.60 billion during 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%. The firm's revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $4.02 earnings per share. Equities research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.33 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st were given a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is 30.58%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This trade represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

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.

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