Global Wealth Management Investment Advisory Inc. Buys 728 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Global Wealth Management Investment Advisory Inc. raised its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 20.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 4,334 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 728 shares during the period. Global Wealth Management Investment Advisory Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $4,011,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in COST. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in Costco Wholesale by 1.7% in the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 43,356,271 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $42,920,107,000 after buying an additional 711,560 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 0.5% in the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 18,325,416 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $18,141,062,000 after acquiring an additional 90,107 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.5% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 10,275,056 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $10,124,263,000 after acquiring an additional 150,844 shares during the period. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the second quarter valued at approximately $5,692,035,000. Finally, Invesco Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 9.8% during the second quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,291,557 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $4,248,384,000 after acquiring an additional 383,887 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 0.1%

Shares of COST stock opened at $941.93 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a current ratio of 1.04. The company has a market capitalization of $418.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 50.45, a PEG ratio of 5.65 and a beta of 1.02. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,078.23. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $892.90 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $930.49.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.27 by $0.07. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.96% and a return on equity of 29.35%. The firm had revenue of $67.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $67.03 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $4.04 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on COST. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, December 29th. Argus upped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,170.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, September 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $1,044.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Raymond James Financial decreased their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,070.00 to $1,000.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Finally, HSBC dropped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,045.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Twenty-one equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $996.00.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $916.32, for a total transaction of $1,374,480.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 8,240 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,550,476.80. This trade represents a 15.40% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 2,400 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $930.13, for a total transaction of $2,232,312.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 2,000 shares in the company, valued at $1,860,260. This trade represents a 54.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 10,446 shares of company stock valued at $9,549,528 in the last ninety days. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: December sales/technical breakout: Costco reported strong December sales (digital-enabled sales up ~19%, comp growth across U.S., Canada and international markets) and technical indicators have shown a recent breakout that many traders view as bullish. December sales release
• Positive Sentiment: Mizuho upgrade / analyst interest: An upgrade and inclusion on a top?picks list has attracted buying interest from institutions and retail investors, supporting near-term demand. Mizuho upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: Store expansion — Reports show new warehouses under construction and announcements for additional openings (including a six?warehouse story), reinforcing mid?to?longer?term revenue and membership growth potential. Costco opening 6 new warehouses
• Positive Sentiment: ETF and sector flows: ETF managers highlighted Costco as a beneficiary in a split (K?shaped) consumer environment—investors see it as a defensive/durable consumer play versus lower?priced competitors. K-shaped economy ETFs
• Positive Sentiment: New product distribution: Quicklly’s launch of a ready?to?heat Indian meals line at Costco is a minor but positive indicator of increasing SKU diversity and appeal to specialist brands. Quicklly launches at Costco
• Neutral Sentiment: Long?term features and comparisons reiterate Costco’s durable model but don’t add an immediate catalyst; helpful for conviction but not a short?term driver. Where Will Costco Be in 5 Years?
• Neutral Sentiment: Short?interest reporting appears to contain data errors (zero shares reported); treat short?interest headlines as unreliable until clarified.
• Negative Sentiment: Insider sale: EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares (SEC Form 4), reducing his stake by ~15% in that filing—small in absolute terms but often read negatively by momentum traders. SEC Form 4 — Russell D. Miller
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and risk: Costco still trades at an elevated multiple (roughly 50x earnings). That valuation leaves the stock sensitive to any signs of slowing sales or membership trends, which can amplify short?term down moves.

Costco Wholesale Company Profile

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.