Landscape Capital Management L.L.C. Purchases Shares of 5,355 Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Landscape Capital Management L.L.C. initiated a new position in Costco during Q3, acquiring 5,355 shares valued at about $4.96 million per its latest 13F filing.
• Costco posted a stronger‑than‑expected quarter with rising membership and e‑commerce, and Wall Street's consensus is a Moderate Buy with an average price target near $1,039.
• Costco faces legal headline risk from multiple tariff‑refund class‑action suits seeking customer refunds after a Supreme Court ruling, which could create repayment exposure and pressure margins.

Landscape Capital Management L.L.C. acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 5,355 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $4,957,000.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 4.4% in the second quarter. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC now owns 262 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $259,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the period. Busey Bank boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.4% during the third quarter. Busey Bank now owns 2,651 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,454,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the period. Pasadena Private Wealth LLC grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.8% in the third quarter. Pasadena Private Wealth LLC now owns 1,403 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,299,000 after buying an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Tandem Investment Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% in the third quarter. Tandem Investment Partners LLC now owns 990 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $916,000 after buying an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Optima Capital LLC raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.9% in the 3rd 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. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 beat and momentum: COST reported stronger-than-expected quarterly sales, rising membership and growing e‑commerce that signal continued top-line strength and traffic gains. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support/price-target upgrades: Several firms have lifted targets (BMO notably raised its target), which can buoy sentiment and buying interest following the quarter. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Operational tailwinds: New warehouse openings, in‑warehouse initiatives and strong product drops (e.g., limited apparel releases) are helping traffic and member engagement—supporting recurring membership income. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Insider activity: An EVP sold ~730 shares (small in absolute terms relative to Costco’s market cap) — routine disclosure but not a clear directional signal. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Split/speculation and premium valuation: Ongoing conversation about a potential stock split and Costco’s premium valuation (high P/E) can attract retail interest but also encourages debate over buying at current levels. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Tariff‑refund class-action(s): Multiple filings allege Costco must pass along any tariff refunds to customers after a Supreme Court ruling voided certain tariffs—plaintiffs seek class status and refunds, creating litigation risk, potential repayment exposure and reputational noise. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Legal/PR amplification: Coverage framing the suits as a threat to margins has heightened headline risk; outcome and any liability remain uncertain but could pressure sentiment until resolved. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Macro/commodity risk: Geopolitical developments that push oil higher and widen retail costs (shipping, gas) could weigh on margins and discretionary traffic if sustained. Read More.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

COST has been the topic of several research reports. HSBC decreased their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,045.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 12th. TD Cowen reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, March 6th. BTIG Research restated a "buy" rating and issued a $1,115.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Raymond James Financial raised their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,039.13.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total transaction of $838,321.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 4,228 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $4,169,907.28. This trade represents a 16.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Javier Polit sold 2,049 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $867.21, for a total transaction of $1,776,913.29. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 10,748 shares of the company's stock, valued at $9,320,773.08. This represents a 16.01% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold a total of 7,645 shares of company stock valued at $7,049,302 over the last three months. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 0.8%

NASDAQ:COST traded up $8.08 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $1,011.40. The stock had a trading volume of 248,889 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,360,464. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,067.08. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $972.44 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $936.70. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The company has a market capitalization of $448.93 billion, a PE ratio of 52.60, a PEG ratio of 5.01 and a beta of 1.01.

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

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Friday, January 30th were issued a $1.30 dividend. 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%.

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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