Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Bought by Exchange Traded Concepts LLC

Key Points

• Exchange Traded Concepts LLC increased its Costco stake by 43.6% in Q3 to 23,444 shares, valued at about $21.7 million.
• Company insiders have been net sellers — 9,720 shares sold (~$9.01 million) in the past 90 days, including sales by Tiffany Barbre and EVP Russell D. Miller; insiders now own roughly 0.10% of the stock.
• Costco recently beat quarterly estimates (EPS $4.34 vs. $4.27; revenue $67.31B, +8.3% YoY), carries a consensus Moderate Buy rating with a $987.58 price target, a $377B market cap and a 0.6% dividend yield.

Exchange Traded Concepts LLC lifted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 43.6% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 23,444 shares of the retailer's stock after buying an additional 7,116 shares during the quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $21,700,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Luminist Capital LLC increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 9.4% in the 1st quarter. Luminist Capital LLC now owns 128 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $122,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Birchbrook Inc. grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.5% during the first quarter. Birchbrook Inc. now owns 456 shares of the retailer's stock worth $431,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Ridgewood Investments LLC increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 7.4% in the second quarter. Ridgewood Investments LLC now owns 159 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $157,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Wagner Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 3.4% in the second quarter. Wagner Wealth Management LLC now owns 330 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $326,000 after buying an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Hobbs Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 4.4% during the 2nd quarter. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC now owns 262 shares of the retailer's stock worth $259,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Tiffany Marie Barbre sold 1,239 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $934.62, for a total value of $1,157,994.18. Following the transaction, the insider owned 5,155 shares in the company, valued at $4,817,966.10. The trade was a 19.38% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 3,381 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, September 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $915.00, for a total value of $3,093,615.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 9,740 shares of the company's stock, valued at $8,912,100. The trade was a 25.77% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 9,720 shares of company stock worth $9,010,257. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have recently commented on COST. Hovde Group started coverage on Costco Wholesale in a report on Tuesday, November 18th. They issued a "market perform" rating and a $16.00 price objective on the stock. UBS Group reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Roth Capital set a $769.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale and gave the stock a "sell" rating in a report on Monday, December 15th. HSBC reduced 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. Finally, Oppenheimer dropped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,130.00 to $1,050.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 3rd. Eighteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $987.58.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of COST opened at $850.00 on Tuesday. The company's 50 day simple moving average is $908.18 and its 200-day simple moving average is $942.55. The firm has a market cap of $377.29 billion, a PE ratio of 45.53, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.13 and a beta of 1.00. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,078.23. The company has a current ratio of 1.04, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $4.27 by $0.07. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.96% and a return on equity of 29.35%. The firm had revenue of $67.31 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $67.03 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $4.04 EPS. Costco Wholesale's quarterly revenue was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 14th. Investors of record on Friday, October 31st were issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, October 31st. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 27.85%.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Barron’s reports an analyst saying renewal-rate concerns are overblown, which supports Costco’s recurring revenue model and limits downside to membership-driven margins. Costco Renewal-Rate Concerns Are Overblown, Says Analyst
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is piloting faster checkout technology in Arizona, which could improve throughput, customer convenience and sales conversion if rolled out broadly. Costco's technology is speeding up checkout in Arizona. What to know
• Positive Sentiment: Company fundamentals cited as resilient: membership fees and planned store growth (28 new stores in fiscal 2026) remain tailwinds for long‑term revenue and margin stability. Before You Buy the Dip on Costco Stock, Here Are 3 Things to Watch in 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Comparative pieces weigh Costco against peers (Walmart, Amazon); analysts highlight Costco’s stability but suggest other names may offer more upside given Costco’s elevated valuation. Costco vs. Walmart: Which Retail Giant Should You Buy?
• Negative Sentiment: Roth Capital’s Bill Kirk and others point to “convenience” issues (traffic, checkout, assortment) as drivers of Costco’s disappointing year — a direct explanation for weaker comps and investor frustration. Roth Capital's Bill Kirk points out convenience issues behind Costco's disappointing year
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple analyst and media pieces note Costco’s rare underperformance in 2025, citing macro headwinds and an elevated P/E that leaves little room for execution misses. What's Going on With Costco Stock?
• Negative Sentiment: Tariff concerns remain a headline risk; commentators (including Jim Cramer) suggest resolution could be a trigger for recovery, implying tariffs are currently a weight on sentiment. Jim Cramer Says Victory Against Tariffs Could Finally Pull Costco Stock “From Its Continued, and Endless, and Terrible Tailspin”

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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