Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Bought by ACT Advisors LLC.

Key Points

• ACT Advisors LLC increased its Costco stake by 908.8% in the third quarter, ending with 2,300 shares valued at approximately $2.09 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 68.48% of Costco’s shares.
• Costco reported strong quarterly results, with revenue up 11.1% year over year to $95.72 billion and EPS of $6.75, exceeding analyst expectations. September net sales also rose 13%, while digitally enabled sales increased 19%.
• Analysts maintain a generally positive outlook, with a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $1,087.40, though Costco’s elevated valuation—about 47.8 times earnings—creates downside risk if growth slows.

ACT Advisors LLC. boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 908.8% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 2,300 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 2,072 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale makes up approximately 0.7% of ACT Advisors LLC.'s portfolio, making the stock its 18th largest holding. ACT Advisors LLC.'s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $2,094,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. State Street Corp grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 31.7% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 23,901,594 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $22,359,224,000 after buying an additional 5,749,362 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 11.5% in the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 7,515,031 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $7,488,203,000 after purchasing an additional 773,651 shares during the last quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 838.9% in the fourth quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 6,125,405 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $5,282,182,000 after purchasing an additional 5,472,968 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 3.4% in the fourth quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,328,729 shares of the retailer's stock worth $3,732,836,000 after purchasing an additional 143,150 shares during the period. Finally, UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 5.5% in the second quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 3,068,312 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,870,314,000 after purchasing an additional 160,893 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: September sales accelerated: Costco reported September net sales of $30.02 billion, up 13% year over year, while digitally enabled sales increased 19%. The results reinforce the strength of Costco’s membership model, e-commerce business and value-focused offering. September Sales Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support remains strong: Tigress Financial reiterated a Buy rating while setting a $1,065 price target after previously publicizing a higher $1,250 target. Other coverage highlights Costco’s sales growth, membership loyalty and digital gains, supporting the recent recovery above key moving averages. Tigress Financial Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend maintained: Costco declared a quarterly dividend of $1.47 per share, payable November 13 to shareholders of record October 30. While the approximately 0.6% yield is modest, the payment signals continued cash-flow strength. Costco Dividend Announcement
• Positive Sentiment: Expansion pipeline: Proposed warehouse projects in Macon and Oakland, along with a planned Merced County relocation, point to continued investment in Costco’s store network. Infrastructure financing of up to $30 million could support the Macon development. Macon Costco Project
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco’s fiscal 2027 executive bonus plan adds sustainability-related measures. The change may support long-term operational goals, but it is unlikely to materially affect near-term earnings. Costco Executive Bonus Update
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and macro risks remain: Costco trades at a high earnings multiple, leaving the stock vulnerable if growth or membership trends slow. Persistent inflation and potentially higher interest rates could also pressure consumer spending and market valuations.
• Negative Sentiment: An executive sold 1,100 shares worth approximately $1.05 million. The transaction is relatively small compared with Costco’s market value, but it may add a modest cautionary signal for investors. Costco Insider Sale

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ COST opened at $989.11 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $438.30 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.82, a PEG ratio of 4.18 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a 50 day moving average of $933.15 and a 200-day moving average of $963.28. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, September 24th. The retailer reported $6.75 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.54 by $0.21. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 27.60% and a net margin of 3.04%. The business had revenue of $95.72 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $94.97 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $5.87 EPS. Costco Wholesale's revenue was up 11.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 22.70 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, October 30th will be issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, October 30th. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is presently 28.32%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

COST has been the subject of several research analyst reports. UBS Group reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, September 17th. Argus reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $1,230.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, September 28th. Freedom Broker dropped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,030.00 to $1,010.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $950.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Finally, Evercore reiterated an "outperform" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Tuesday, September 22nd. Twenty-four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight 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 $1,087.40.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,200 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $915.93, for a total value of $2,015,046.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 7,134 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,534,244.62. This trade represents a 23.57% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 1,100 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $958.21, for a total transaction of $1,054,031.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 3,094 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,964,701.74. This represents a 26.23% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Costco Wholesale Profile

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a membership-based warehouse retail business under the Costco name. The company sells a broad selection of merchandise, including groceries, fresh foods, beverages, appliances, electronics, furniture, apparel, jewelry, hardware, and seasonal products. It also offers services such as gasoline, pharmacies, optical departments, hearing-aid centers, food courts, travel services, and business delivery in selected markets.

Costco markets many products under its private-label Kirkland Signature brand and sells merchandise through warehouse locations and e-commerce platforms.

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