The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company Has $415.79 Million Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company increased its Costco stake by 24.4% in the second quarter, holding 444,473 shares worth approximately $415.8 million. Institutional investors collectively own 68.48% of the company.
• Costco shares opened at $901.35, with a market capitalization of about $399.7 billion and a P/E ratio of 45.34. The company pays a quarterly dividend of $1.47, equivalent to a 0.7% annual yield.
• Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target of $1,056.03, although higher fuel costs could pressure near-term margins. Costco’s planned warehouse openings and strong e-commerce growth provide potential longer-term growth support.

The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 24.4% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 444,473 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 87,317 shares during the quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company owned about 0.10% of Costco Wholesale worth $415,793,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 10,388,519 shares of the retailer's stock worth $8,919,573,000 after purchasing an additional 26,690 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 11.5% in the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 7,515,031 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $7,488,203,000 after buying an additional 773,651 shares during the period. Corient Private Wealth LLC boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 838.9% during the fourth quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 6,125,405 shares of the retailer's stock worth $5,282,182,000 after buying an additional 5,472,968 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth about $5,195,415,000. Finally, Invesco Ltd. grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 3.4% during the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,328,729 shares of the retailer's stock worth $3,732,836,000 after buying an additional 143,150 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In related news, Director Kenneth Denman sold 885 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the sale, the director owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. This represents a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 1.9%

Shares of COST stock opened at $901.35 on Wednesday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month 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 firm has a fifty day moving average of $938.54 and a 200-day moving average of $973.21. The company has a market capitalization of $399.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 45.34, a P/E/G ratio of 3.83 and a beta of 0.86.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Investors of record on Friday, July 24th were given a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is currently 29.58%.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco plans to open 10 new warehouses over the next two months, supporting long-term membership growth, sales expansion and geographic reach. Costco has 10 new stores opening in the next two months
• Positive Sentiment: E-commerce sales increased 17.9% in August and 20.9% for fiscal 2026, indicating that digital operations are becoming a meaningful additional growth engine alongside Costco’s warehouses. Costco's E-commerce Momentum Keeps Its Growth Engine Running
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco is scheduled to report fiscal fourth-quarter results later this month, making upcoming sales, membership and margin trends important near-term catalysts. Should You Buy Costco Stock Before Sept. 24?
• Negative Sentiment: Costco nearly doubled the price of a 10-quart case of Kirkland Signature motor oil to $57.99 and limited purchases amid an oil-supply crunch. The move highlights inflationary pressure across consumer goods and could weigh on customer sentiment, even though higher prices may protect some revenue. Costco hikes motor oil prices and puts limits on how much members can buy
• Negative Sentiment: RBC expects higher fuel costs to pressure Costco’s core gross margin in the fourth quarter. Tariff refunds may offset much of the impact, but the mixed outlook reinforces concerns about near-term earnings quality. Costco Gross Margin Pressure From Higher Fuel Costs Likely to be Offset by Tariff Refunds, RBC Says

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have recently commented on COST shares. Oppenheimer upped their price target 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. Freedom Broker upgraded shares of Costco Wholesale from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $1,030.00 price objective for the company in a report on Tuesday, September 8th. Bank of America upped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Mizuho set a $1,100.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. Finally, Guggenheim reissued a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,056.03.

About Costco Wholesale

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates membership-based warehouse clubs that offer a broad selection of merchandise at generally competitive prices. Its product range includes groceries, fresh foods, apparel, appliances, electronics, furniture, jewelry, hardware, and seasonal goods, along with private-label products sold under the Kirkland Signature brand.

The company also provides a variety of ancillary services, including gasoline stations, pharmacies, optical centers, hearing-aid centers, food courts, tire centers, and travel services.

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