Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors LLC Buys 1,535 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors increased its Costco stake by 65% in the fourth quarter, buying 1,535 more shares and bringing its total holdings to 3,896 shares worth about $3.36 million.
• Wall Street remains broadly positive on Costco, with analysts assigning a Moderate Buy consensus and a price target of $1,052.60; several firms recently raised targets, including Oppenheimer and Deutsche Bank.
• Costco is heading into earnings with mixed signals: the company has strong sales, membership growth, and recent dividend increases, but investors are also watching valuation pressure and a legal/compliance overhang after a disability discrimination verdict.

Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 65.0% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 3,896 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 1,535 shares during the period. Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $3,360,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Hurley Capital LLC boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the third 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 period. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at $31,000. Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at $34,000. Finally, Collier Financial bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at $35,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Truist Financial lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $926.00 to $977.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Raymond James Financial lifted 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. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Oppenheimer lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 19th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,052.60.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and media coverage remain constructive, with multiple firms reiterating bullish views and price targets implying upside if Costco delivers another solid quarter. Analyst Reaffirms Buy on Costco, Sees Attractive Upside with Unchanged $1,185 Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Pre-earnings commentary highlights strong monthly sales, membership growth, e-commerce gains, and higher gas prices potentially boosting traffic and top-line momentum. Costco Heads into Earnings with Monthly Sales Already Doing the Heavy Lifting
• Positive Sentiment: Some analysts are calling Costco a top defensive consumer stock, reinforcing its reputation as a steady performer in uncertain markets. Bernstein Calls Costco (COST) a Top Defensive Consumer Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple previews note that investors are largely waiting for Thursday’s earnings report to reset expectations, with the stock seen as capable of moving sharply depending on guidance and margin commentary. Here's How Much Costco Stock Is Expected to Move After Earnings Q3 FY2026
• Neutral Sentiment: There was also a separate headline about an optical-services scheduling issue and a grapevine pest concern involving Costco-sold plants, but these appear limited in scope and are less likely to affect the broader investment thesis. Costco optical customers face frustration trying to schedule eye exams
• Negative Sentiment: Pre-earnings caution and valuation pressure are weighing on the shares, with some market watchers saying it may be prudent to wait for results rather than chase the stock now. Costco Q3 Preview: Stock Could Hit $1,200 Or Fall To $960, Market Expert Says 'Prudent To Wait This One Out'
• Negative Sentiment: A federal jury verdict in a disability discrimination case raised legal and compliance concerns, creating a modest overhang ahead of earnings. Costco Discrimination Verdict Puts Legal And Compliance Risks In Focus

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 0.1%

Shares of COST stock opened at $1,003.69 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $1,008.29 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $962.02. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,096.50. The firm has a market cap of $445.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 52.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.93 and a beta of 0.92.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last issued 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 return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $4.02 earnings per share. The company's revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.33 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st were paid a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is presently 30.58%.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction dated 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 completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

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.

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.