Wellington Management Group LLP Reduces Stock Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Wellington Management reduced its Costco stake by 2.8%, selling 5,751 shares and retaining 197,558 shares valued at approximately $184.8 million. Institutional investors collectively own 68.48% of the company.
• Costco continues to report strong sales momentum: fourth-quarter net sales rose 11.3% year over year to $93.9 billion, while digitally enabled comparable sales increased 19.5%; August sales also climbed 9.9%.
• Analysts maintain a generally positive outlook, with a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,056.90, compared with the reported share price of $915.74.

Wellington Management Group LLP lowered its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 2.8% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 197,558 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 5,751 shares during the quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $184,810,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Lombard Odier Asset Management Europe Ltd bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the second quarter valued at $611,000. Archer Investment Corp bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $907,000. Fox Hill Wealth Management purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter valued at $2,418,000. Kingsview Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 2nd quarter valued at $14,501,000. Finally, Henson Edgewater Management LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 2nd quarter valued at $3,333,000. 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: Strong fourth-quarter sales: Costco’s fourth-quarter net sales increased 11.3% year over year to $93.9 billion. Digitally enabled comparable sales rose 19.5%, substantially outpacing overall growth and highlighting continued momentum in e-commerce and omnichannel shopping. Costco's Q4 Sales Rise 11.3% as Digital Momentum Remains Strong
• Positive Sentiment: August sales remained robust: Costco reported a 9.9% year-over-year increase in August sales, driven by strong U.S. comparable-store performance and record digital growth. The update gives investors further evidence that membership and customer traffic remain resilient. Costco Reports Double-Digit Growth in August 2026 Sales
• Neutral Sentiment: Holiday closures are routine: Costco closed its U.S. warehouses for Labor Day, consistent with its long-standing policy of shutting stores on seven holidays annually. The practice may reinforce the company’s employee-focused culture but has no meaningful near-term earnings impact. Most national retailers close on 2 holidays. Costco shuts down for 7.
• Neutral Sentiment: Membership loyalty remains a theme: Coverage of members with decades-long Costco relationships underscores the strength of the retailer’s recurring membership model, though it provides limited new financial information. What Happens If You Are A Costco Member For Over 40 Years?
• Negative Sentiment: Supplier relationship risk: The loss of a Costco distribution deal contributed to a functional-beverage company’s Chapter 11 filing. This is not a direct financial threat to Costco, but it highlights the importance—and potential volatility—of major retail partnerships. Loss of Costco deal helps push beverage brand into Chapter 11

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have recently weighed in on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. HC Wainwright reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. DA Davidson reiterated a "neutral" rating and issued a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, September 3rd. Truist Financial raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Finally, BTIG Research reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $1,125.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, September 3rd. Twenty-one research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,056.90.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth Denman sold 885 shares of the business'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. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $915.74 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $406.11 billion, a PE ratio of 46.06, a P/E/G ratio of 3.80 and a beta of 0.86. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,096.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.07. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $942.96 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $976.78.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th were given a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is currently 29.58%.

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.

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.