Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Stake Lifted by B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc.

Key Points

• B. Riley Wealth Advisors increased its Costco stake by 39.7% in the third quarter, bringing its holdings to 9,008 shares valued at approximately $8.2 million. Institutional investors collectively own 68.48% of Costco.
• Costco reported strong quarterly results, with EPS of $6.75 beating estimates and revenue rising 11.1% year over year to $95.72 billion. September net sales also increased 13%, while digital sales grew 19%.
• Analysts maintain a generally positive view, with a “Moderate Buy” consensus and average price target of $1,046.27, but Costco’s high valuation—around 46.9 times earnings—remains a risk. An executive also sold 2,200 shares, while several firms recently lowered price targets.

B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 39.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 9,008 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 2,559 shares during the quarter. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc.'s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $8,200,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Sarasin & Partners LLP increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 6.9% in the second quarter. Sarasin & Partners LLP now owns 214,194 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $200,372,000 after purchasing an additional 13,795 shares during the period. Nissay Asset Management Corp Japan lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 4.1% during the 2nd quarter. Nissay Asset Management Corp Japan now owns 158,416 shares of the retailer's stock worth $148,193,000 after buying an additional 6,200 shares during the period. Hyperion Asset Management Ltd lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 9.0% during the 2nd quarter. Hyperion Asset Management Ltd now owns 68,762 shares of the retailer's stock worth $64,325,000 after buying an additional 5,656 shares during the period. Silvant Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth about $16,013,000. Finally, Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 15.0% in the 2nd quarter. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC now owns 22,766 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $21,297,000 after buying an additional 2,974 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,200 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $915.93, for a total transaction of $2,015,046.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 7,134 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,534,244.62. The trade was a 23.57% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

COST has been the topic of several analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group cut their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,130.00 to $1,100.00 in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Roth Capital restated a "sell" rating and set a $781.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, September 25th. Bank of America reduced their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,200.00 to $1,095.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, September 16th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated a "sector perform" rating and set a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, October 9th. Finally, Guggenheim reissued a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, September 28th. Twenty-three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,046.27.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Strong sales momentum: Costco reported September net sales of approximately $30.02 billion, up 13% year over year. Digital sales increased 19%, supported by expanded delivery options and personalization, indicating continued customer engagement beyond physical warehouses. Costco Wholesale Posts 13% September Sales Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Balance-sheet strength: Costco’s reported $21.3 billion liquidity cushion, manageable debt and robust cash generation give it flexibility to expand its warehouse network and invest in e-commerce. This provides an advantage over more financially constrained retail competitors. How Costco's Balance Sheet Gives It an Edge
• Positive Sentiment: Constructive earnings outlook: Erste Group raised its FY2027 EPS forecast to $22.80 from $22.67 and projects FY2028 EPS of $25.01, reinforcing expectations for continued earnings growth. Costco analyst earnings estimates
• Neutral Sentiment: Competitive and consumer considerations: Costco continues to outperform or pressure traditional grocery rivals such as Albertsons, while its bulk-pack format and $65 membership fee may not be equally attractive for every household. A potential West Oakland warehouse could support employment and local growth but is not an immediate earnings catalyst.
• Negative Sentiment: Premium valuation and income competition: COST trades at roughly 46 times earnings, well above the broader market. The 10-year Treasury yield near 5.2% significantly exceeds Costco’s dividend yield, which can reduce the stock’s appeal to income-focused investors and increase valuation pressure. Costco Stock Versus 10-Year Treasury Notes
• Negative Sentiment: Questions about sales quality: Higher gasoline prices contributed to reported sales growth at Costco’s fuel business. If gas prices decline, some of that revenue boost could fade, making the premium valuation harder to justify despite solid underlying membership and digital trends. What Cheaper Gas Would Mean for Costco Sales and Margins

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 0.5%

Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $954.63 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $930.95 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $963.12. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,096.50. The stock has a market capitalization of $423.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.92, a PEG ratio of 4.07 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, September 24th. The retailer reported $6.75 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.54 by $0.21. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.04% and a return on equity of 27.60%. The company had revenue of $95.72 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $94.97 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $5.87 EPS. Costco Wholesale's revenue for the quarter was up 11.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 22.85 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

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.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding COST? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report).

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.