Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Newly Bought by Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd.

Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund bought 319,015 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $290,412,000.

Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in COST. State Street Corp grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 31.7% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 23,901,594 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $22,359,224,000 after buying an additional 5,749,362 shares in the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 11.5% during the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 7,515,031 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $7,488,203,000 after acquiring an additional 773,651 shares in the last quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 5.5% during the 2nd quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 3,068,312 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,870,314,000 after acquiring an additional 160,893 shares in the last quarter. Amundi grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 11.1% in the first quarter. Amundi now owns 2,839,016 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,828,881,000 after purchasing an additional 283,360 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the second quarter worth $2,362,188,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 1.6%

Shares of COST stock opened at $1,012.28 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $943.31 and a 200 day simple moving average of $970.25. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,096.50. The stock has a market capitalization of $448.57 billion, a P/E ratio of 48.76, a P/E/G ratio of 4.33 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its earnings results on Thursday, September 24th. The retailer reported $6.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.54 by $0.21. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 27.60% and a net margin of 3.04%. The firm had revenue of $95.72 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $94.97 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $5.87 earnings per share. Costco Wholesale’s revenue was up 11.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 22.70 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Investors of record on Friday, October 30th will be issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, October 30th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 28.32%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,200 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $915.93, for a total transaction of $2,015,046.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 7,134 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,534,244.62. This trade represents a 23.57% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 1,100 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $958.21, for a total value of $1,054,031.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 3,094 shares in the company, valued at $2,964,701.74. The trade was a 26.23% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on COST shares. DA Davidson lifted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,040.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, September 25th. CICC Research assumed coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Wednesday, October 21st. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $1,050.00 target price for the company. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $950.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, September 25th. Royal Bank Of Canada restated a “sector perform” rating and set a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, October 9th. Finally, Evercore reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Tuesday, September 22nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-four have assigned a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,086.19.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Store expansion supports long-term growth. Costco plans to open 13 locations by the end of 2026, potentially expanding its membership base and sales footprint. Costco opening 13 locations by end of 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Membership acquisition remains a focus. A promotional offer providing new members with a $45 gift card could help drive sign-ups ahead of the holiday shopping season, supporting recurring membership-fee revenue. Costco membership Black Friday deal
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect continued earnings momentum. Costco’s upcoming fiscal first-quarter 2027 report is expected to show double-digit year-over-year EPS growth. Its latest quarter also beat consensus estimates on both earnings and revenue. What to expect from Costco Wholesale’s next quarterly earnings report
• Positive Sentiment: Customer loyalty and digital engagement remain strengths. Coverage highlights near-record renewal rates, busy warehouses, a younger shopper base and growing use of Costco’s digital channels. These factors reinforce the company’s competitive advantages and long-term sales potential. The New Costco Shopper Is Under 40
• Neutral Sentiment: Healthcare partnerships could deepen member engagement. Integrations with NationsBenefits and SCAN Health Plan are expanding Costco’s role in Medicare-related spending across more than 600 U.S. warehouses, though the financial contribution is not yet clear. Medicare push and Costco investors
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation leaves little room for disappointment. Costco trades at roughly 49 times earnings, making execution and upcoming results especially important. Analysts remain positive, but the stock’s premium valuation could amplify downside if growth slows. Costco stock’s long-term competitive advantages

Costco Wholesale Profile

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a membership-based warehouse retail business under the Costco name. The company sells merchandise in bulk and at competitive prices through warehouse clubs and e-commerce platforms, serving individual consumers, businesses and other organizations.

Its product selection includes groceries and fresh foods, household supplies, appliances, electronics, furniture, apparel, health and beauty products, jewelry, automotive products and prescription drugs. Costco also provides services such as optical care, pharmacy services, hearing-aid sales, travel offerings and fuel sales, depending on location.

The company traces its roots to Price Club, which opened in San Diego in 1976.