Yousif Capital Management LLC Lowers Stock Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Yousif Capital Management LLC reduced its stake in Costco by 3.0% in Q4, selling 1,662 shares to hold 53,746 shares worth about $46.35 million, roughly 0.5% of its portfolio and its 21st largest holding.
• Costco slightly beat the quarter with $4.58 EPS vs. $4.55 expected and revenue of $69.6 billion (up 9.2% YoY), but trades at a premium (P/E ~52.7) with an average analyst target of $1,039.13 and a "Moderate Buy" consensus.
• The company is pursuing growth and margin initiatives — including its first stand‑alone gas station, sub‑10‑second checkout tests, and Kirkland energy drinks — though several analysts caution that Costco’s high valuation may limit further upside.

Yousif Capital Management LLC reduced its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 3.0% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 53,746 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 1,662 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale accounts for 0.5% of Yousif Capital Management LLC's portfolio, making the stock its 21st biggest holding. Yousif Capital Management LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $46,347,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in COST. Hurley Capital LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $34,000. Collier Financial purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $35,000. AXS Investments LLC purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $36,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts recently commented on the company. BTIG Research reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $1,115.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Guggenheim reissued a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $1,044.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Rothschild & Co Redburn boosted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 17th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reissued an "outperform" rating and issued a $1,155.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, February 9th. Twenty-two research 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. Based on data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,039.13.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ:COST opened at $1,013.21 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.59. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,067.08. The stock's 50 day simple moving average is $991.36 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $941.25. The company has a market cap of $449.51 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.69, a PEG ratio of 5.01 and a beta of 0.99.

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

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 30th were paid a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 30th. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is presently 27.04%.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco is planning its first stand‑alone gas station, which could expand fuel revenue and member traffic without needing a full warehouse footprint. This represents a new, recurring revenue stream and reinforces Costco’s focus on value. Costco’s first stand-alone gas station is officially in the works — here's what we know
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is testing a checkout flow advertised to take under 10 seconds, which could raise throughput, reduce labor costs per transaction and improve member experience — a productivity win if it scales. Costco tests checkout that could take under 10 seconds
• Positive Sentiment: Costco launched Kirkland Signature energy drinks that mimic popular Celsius flavors at lower prices — a private‑label push that can boost margins, capture supplier share, and pressure competitors. Costco Tests Kirkland Energy Drinks And Supplier Power With Celsius Lookalike
• Positive Sentiment: Sector dynamics — Sam’s Club raising fees — could push churn toward Costco and support membership growth and pricing power over time. Dear Costco Stock Fans, Mark Your Calendars for May 1
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts and commentary note Costco as a beneficiary of higher gas prices (discount fuel draws traffic) but also point out the company’s already premium valuation — widening the debate between growth vs. price paid. Costco: The Surprising Winner of Rising Gas Prices
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader coverage (Fool) used Costco’s results to argue that large retailers’ steady performance tempers AI-era exuberance — this is more macro market context than a direct hit to Costco’s fundamentals. Is the AI Gold Rush Over? Costco and Walmart Just Delivered a Sobering $163 Billion Warning to Shareholders of Nvidia, Palantir, and Other Red-Hot AI Stocks.
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation concerns: several pieces flag that COST is trading at a premium (YTD outperformance and high P/E), prompting debate whether it’s “overbought” and leaving shares vulnerable if macro or membership trends slow. Is It Too Late to Buy Costco or Merck? Are These Defensive Stocks Overbought?
• Negative Sentiment: Deep‑dive analyst pieces question whether Costco’s premium multiple already prices in recession resilience, which could limit upside absent accelerating membership or margin improvement. Costco Stock Deep Dive: Vibecession Winner Or Overpriced Recession Insurance

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 transaction, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the business'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 value of $838,321.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 4,228 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,169,907.28. This represents a 16.74% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 5,038 shares of company stock worth $4,790,896. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

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.

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.