Forum Financial Management LP Trims Stock Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Forum Financial Management LP cut its Costco stake by 38.2% in the first quarter, selling 2,166 shares and leaving it with 3,497 shares valued at about $3.48 million.
• Other institutional investors also adjusted positions, while institutions overall still own 68.48% of Costco’s stock, underscoring continued heavy professional ownership.
• Analysts remain mostly constructive on Costco: several firms raised price targets, and the stock carries a Moderate Buy consensus with an average target price of $1,061.45, despite valuation concerns in some bearish commentary.

Forum Financial Management LP cut its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 38.2% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 3,497 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 2,166 shares during the period. Forum Financial Management LP's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $3,484,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at $33,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts highlighted Costco’s executive membership growth as a key earnings driver, saying richer fee income and a better sales mix could unlock more profit, with a China expansion opportunity adding longer-term upside. Costco's Executive Penetration Could Unlock More Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Several articles pointed to Costco’s strong post-earnings setup versus peers, noting robust revenue growth, sticky membership cash flow, and a resilient value proposition as households remain squeezed by inflation. Costco vs. Target: One Retailer Is A Much Stronger Buy In 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is using AI to improve online search and product listings, and early results suggest digital traffic has roughly tripled, with strong conversion rates that could support e-commerce growth. Costco (COST) Is Using AI To Triple Digital Traffic And Lift Conversions
• Positive Sentiment: Costco was also named a top retail pick by Bernstein and described as a better buy than some peers because of its membership model and consistent execution. Costco Stock (COST) Crowned Top Retail Pick for the Rest of 2026 — Here’s Why
• Neutral Sentiment: Additional coverage discussed Costco’s ability to benefit from inflation and geopolitical supply pressures, but also warned that the stock’s valuation is already rich versus expected growth. Costco: Hormuz And Inflation Provide Momentum But Be Mindful Of The Valuation
• Negative Sentiment: Bearish commentary argued Costco’s slower growth profile may not justify its high earnings multiple, which is likely contributing to selling pressure. Costco Stock: Future 10 Percent And Decelerating Growth Rate Not Worth 50x Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Another article was explicitly titled “More Pain To Come,” reinforcing concerns that investors may be rotating away from Costco despite its operational strengths. Costco Stock: More Pain To Come

Insider Buying and Selling

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on COST shares. UBS Group increased their price target 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. Telsey Advisory Group lifted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. TD Cowen restated a "buy" rating and set a $1,175.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Sanford C. Bernstein increased their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,192.00 to $1,194.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Finally, Guggenheim reissued a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,061.45.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

NASDAQ:COST opened at $935.47 on Wednesday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,096.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The company has a market capitalization of $414.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.06, a P/E/G ratio of 4.59 and a beta of 0.88. The stock's fifty day moving average is $993.97 and its two-hundred day moving average is $971.96.

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 for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $4.28 earnings per share. Equities analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current 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 issued a $1.47 dividend. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is 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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