K.J. Harrison & Partners Inc Sells 4,500 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• K.J. Harrison & Partners cut its Costco stake by 52.5%, selling 4,500 shares in Q4 and leaving 4,079 shares valued at about $3.52 million.
• Operational momentum: April net sales rose 13.0% YoY to $23.92 billion, quarterly EPS beat expectations ($4.58 vs. $4.55) with revenue up 9.2% YoY, and Costco raised its quarterly dividend from $1.30 to $1.47.
• Analyst and market view is broadly positive (22 Buys, 11 Holds, 1 Sell; average target ~$1,045.97), but the stock faces valuation concerns—trading down ~2% with a P/E around 51.8—which could amplify short-term volatility.

K.J. Harrison & Partners Inc cut its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 52.5% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 4,079 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 4,500 shares during the period. K.J. Harrison & Partners Inc's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $3,517,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Graney & King LLC increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 6.8% during the 2nd quarter. Graney & King LLC now owns 173 shares of the retailer's stock worth $171,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Seneschal Advisors LLC raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.4% during the second quarter. Seneschal Advisors LLC now owns 3,142 shares of the retailer's stock worth $3,110,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Pasadena Private Wealth LLC grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. Pasadena Private Wealth LLC now owns 1,403 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,299,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the period. Tandem Investment Partners LLC grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.1% during the third quarter. Tandem Investment Partners LLC now owns 990 shares of the retailer's stock worth $916,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the period. Finally, Optima Capital LLC raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.9% in the third quarter. Optima Capital LLC now owns 1,192 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,104,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Bank of America started coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, February 27th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $1,185.00 target price on the stock. UBS Group set a $1,175.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Oppenheimer boosted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,045.97.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: April net sales jumped 13.0% year-over-year to $23.92 billion for the four weeks ended May 3, signaling continued top-line momentum and SKU sell-through strength. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports April Sales Results
• Positive Sentiment: Higher U.S. gasoline prices could boost traffic to Costco fuel centers and lift fuel-margin contributions, a potential tailwind for membership and ancillary sales. Costco Stock (COST) in Focus as U.S. Gasoline Prices Near Record High
• Positive Sentiment: Foot-traffic trends show Costco stores getting busier over several years, supporting membership renewals and higher basket sizes versus peers. Strong traffic persistence is a structural advantage. It's not in your head: Costco has gotten more crowded
• Positive Sentiment: Local expansion: construction is starting on a Milwaukee County store and a new Camarillo gas station opened ahead of warehouse construction — signs of continued real-estate growth and capacity to add revenue. Construction starts soon on Costco's first Milwaukee County store after land deal Costco opens Camarillo gas station ahead of warehouse construction
• Neutral Sentiment: Feature and merchandise coverage (new groceries, product launches, and grocery lists) supports customer engagement but is unlikely to move shares materially in the short term. The Best New Costco Groceries Hitting Shelves This Month
• Neutral Sentiment: Comparisons among big-box peers (Walmart, Target) keep Costco in investor screens; these pieces help sentiment framing but don't by themselves drive immediate moves. Which Big-Box Store Chain Has Dominated 2026: Walmart, Target, or Costco?
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction: coverage noting the stock has slid and reporting the intraday decline likely feeds short‑term selling and stops. That commentary amplifies volatility even when company fundamentals are steady. Costco (COST) Stock Slides as Market Rises: Facts to Know Before You Trade
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation concerns: commentary warns the stock is richly valued after strong YTD gains, which can make investors hesitant to add new positions and pressure the share price on any macro softening. Costco (COST) Is Hard Not to Love. Buying It Right Now Is Harder
• Negative Sentiment: Broader retail headwinds: Moody’s and other analysts flag an unfavorable retail backdrop (higher prices, weaker discretionary demand); even market leaders can see multiple compression in such environments. Walmart, Costco poised to win amid unfavorable retail environment

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 2.0%

Shares of COST stock opened at $995.75 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $441.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 51.78, a P/E/G ratio of 5.01 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,067.08. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is $997.75 and its 200 day simple moving average is $950.96.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $4.02 EPS. The company's revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st will be given a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 1st. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is currently 30.58%.

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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