JM2 Capital Inc. Purchases Shares of 2,974 Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• JM2 Capital purchased 2,974 Costco shares worth about $2.56 million in Q4, making Costco roughly 2.1% of its holdings and its 12th-largest position.
• Costco posted Q results with EPS $4.58 (beat by $0.03) and revenue $69.6B (+9.2% YoY); analysts have a consensus rating of Moderate Buy with a $1,043.13 price target (22 Buys, 11 Holds, 1 Sell) while the stock trades near $980.85.
• Insiders sold 3,538 shares (about $3.42M) in the last 90 days and now own 0.10% of the company, while institutional investors hold 68.48% of the stock.

JM2 Capital Inc. purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 2,974 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $2,564,000. Costco Wholesale comprises approximately 2.1% of JM2 Capital Inc.'s holdings, making the stock its 12th largest position.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Hurley Capital LLC grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at about $34,000. Collier Financial acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at about $35,000. AXS Investments LLC acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at about $36,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at about $36,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

COST has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,171.00 to $1,088.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Gordon Haskett boosted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Guggenheim reissued a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. Raymond James Financial boosted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Northcoast Research set a $1,100.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 24th. Twenty-two investment 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 MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,043.13.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $939.00, for a total value of $1,408,500.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 44,837 shares in the company, valued at approximately $42,101,943. This trade represents a 3.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 3,538 shares of company stock valued at $3,416,416 in the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Higher gas prices are boosting store traffic and March sales, which helps gasoline margin and ancillary in-club spending — a near-term sales tailwind for Costco. Higher Gas Prices Are Already Having a Positive Impact on Costco's Sales
• Positive Sentiment: Costco recently raised membership fees (first increase in seven years), which should lift recurring revenue and margins given high renewal rates. This supports longer‑term cash flow even if it pressures membership-sensitive customers. Costco Raised Membership Fees for the First Time in 7 Years. Here's What Investors Learned From It.
• Positive Sentiment: International sales (especially Other International) are accelerating versus the U.S., shifting Costco’s growth mix and reducing reliance on domestic comps. That diversification can support revenue growth expectations. Costco's International Sales Surge Signals Shift in Growth Mix
• Positive Sentiment: Brand strength in Japan (local bestsellers and a differentiated “American” offering) underscores Costco’s international merchandising and membership appeal, supporting long-term expansion potential. Costco Japan's top-selling product baffled execs — until they watched shoppers open it and sniff. Here's what they said
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage remains constructive but cautious — DA Davidson reiterated a neutral rating, signaling no immediate analyst-driven catalyst. Costco Wholesale's (COST) Neutral Rating Reiterated at DA Davidson
• Neutral Sentiment: Profiles and rankings (Zacks, Fool) continue to highlight Costco as a strong growth/quality name, which supports investor interest but is unlikely to move the stock alone. Here's Why Costco (COST) is a Strong Growth Stock
• Negative Sentiment: Broader retail-sector volatility and recent weakness (retail stocks have lagged the market) can weigh on Costco’s multiple as investors de-risk consumer names, contributing to the down move today. 1 Consumer Stock to Research Further and 2 We Ignore

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 1.8%

COST stock opened at $980.85 on Tuesday. The stock's 50 day simple moving average is $995.75 and its 200 day simple moving average is $943.13. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,067.08. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 1.06. The company has a market cap of $435.15 billion, a P/E ratio of 51.01, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.92 and a beta of 0.99.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The business had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $4.02 EPS. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Friday, January 30th were paid a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is 27.04%.

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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