Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA Increases Stock Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 169.4% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 39,549 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 24,871 shares during the quarter. Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $34,105,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter valued at about $5,692,035,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 96,316.6% in the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,378,758 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,364,888,000 after buying an additional 1,377,328 shares in the last quarter. Amundi raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 45.0% in the third quarter. Amundi now owns 3,176,606 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,893,697,000 after buying an additional 986,182 shares in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 9.8% in the second quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,291,557 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $4,248,384,000 after buying an additional 383,887 shares during the period. Finally, Voloridge Investment Management LLC boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 112.2% during the 3rd quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC now owns 477,425 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $441,919,000 after acquiring an additional 252,453 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of COST stock opened at $974.78 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $432.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 50.69, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.84 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 1.06. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,067.08. The company’s 50-day moving average is $983.32 and its 200 day moving average is $938.37.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $4.02 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 30th were paid a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 30th. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.5%. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is currently 27.04%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have weighed in on COST. Mizuho upped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,065.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,060.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $1,155.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Telsey Advisory Group upped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,125.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Oppenheimer boosted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,039.13.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts maintain a favorable view — a broad coverage sample shows an average “Moderate Buy” consensus, supporting investor confidence in Costco’s long-term outlook. Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) Receives Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts
• Positive Sentiment: Costco upgraded its retail media platform — this could boost ad revenue and help monetize store and digital traffic, a diversification tailwind beyond membership fees and merchandise. Costco upgrades its retail media platform
• Positive Sentiment: New Kirkland Signature product rollouts and an expanding footprint (including a planned standalone gas station) reinforce Costco’s value proposition for members and open local competitive advantages vs. c-stores and mass retailers. Costco adds Kirkland Signature items. See what’s new Costco’s first standalone gas station to open by late June
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst and media pieces reiterate upside potential but note valuation and retail disruption risks — helpful context but not an immediate catalyst. Costco Stock Forecast: Can COST Keep Up amid Worries about the Future of Retail Stores?
• Neutral Sentiment: Consumer-focused promos/tech deals coverage (e.g., tech sale comparisons to Amazon) highlight competitive positioning but are unlikely to move fundamentals immediately. 4 Costco Tech Deals That Rival Amazon’s Big Spring Sale
• Neutral Sentiment: Reported short-interest data is effectively negligible/erroneous in this release, so it’s not a current factor for price pressure. (No actionable short-covering signal.)
• Negative Sentiment: Reports suggest some members may face higher renewal fees — a membership-price uptick could risk member dissatisfaction or churn if not offset by perceived value, creating short-term investor caution. Some Costco members may pay more to renew their memberships
• Negative Sentiment: Public discussion about raising iconic low-price items (e.g., the $1.50 hot dog) has generated headlines — such price changes can provoke negative member reaction and press, even if they reflect broader cost pressures. Costco’s $1.50 Hot Dog Prices To Go Up? Here Is What CEO Ron Vachris Has To Say About That

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total value of $732,204.60. Following the completion of 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 sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $916.32, for a total transaction of $1,374,480.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 8,240 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,550,476.80. The trade was a 15.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold 7,645 shares of company stock worth $7,049,302 in the last three months. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

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.