Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Stock Holdings Lowered by RKL Wealth Management LLC

RKL Wealth Management LLC cut its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 13.0% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 13,486 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 2,011 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale makes up approximately 1.1% of RKL Wealth Management LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 22nd largest holding. RKL Wealth Management LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $12,483,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth $5,692,035,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 96,316.6% during the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,378,758 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,364,888,000 after purchasing an additional 1,377,328 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.7% during the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 43,356,271 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $42,920,107,000 after purchasing an additional 711,560 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. lifted 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 purchasing an additional 383,887 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Symphony Financial Ltd. Co. boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 15,055.5% in the 2nd quarter. Symphony Financial Ltd. Co. now owns 320,994 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $317,722,000 after purchasing an additional 318,876 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

COST stock opened at $994.76 on Thursday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $942.47 and a 200 day simple moving average of $934.83. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,067.08. The stock has a market cap of $441.54 billion, a P/E ratio of 53.28, a P/E/G ratio of 5.27 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a current ratio of 1.04.

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

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Friday, January 30th were issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 27.85%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

COST has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. DA Davidson restated a “neutral” rating and set a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, February 5th. UBS Group reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, December 29th. HSBC reduced their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,045.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Finally, Citigroup reiterated a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Twenty-one analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,008.07.

Insider Activity

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total value of $838,321.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 4,228 shares in the company, valued at $4,169,907.28. The trade was a 16.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Susan L. Decker sold 458 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $955.00, for a total value of $437,390.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 8,532 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,148,060. The trade was a 5.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 6,915 shares of company stock valued at $6,317,097. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Citi raised its price target to $1,000 (from $990), maintaining a Neutral rating but highlighting modest upside after recent same-store sales and earnings beats — a catalyst for supportive analyst flows and buyer interest. Citi Raises Costco (COST) Price Target to $1,000 from $990
• Positive Sentiment: Reports that Costco is adding more big brands and lowering prices suggest renewed merchandising leverage that can drive traffic, membership retention and same-store sales. Costco adds more big brands and lowers prices
• Positive Sentiment: Local expansion news — a new Costco store is slated to open in Lawrence later this year — supports long-term unit growth and membership base expansion. New Costco store set to open in Lawrence later this year
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco is expected to announce earnings on Thursday — an event that can produce short-term volatility depending on guidance and membership trends. Traders are positioning ahead of the print. Costco Wholesale (COST) Expected to Announce Earnings on Thursday
• Neutral Sentiment: Product and food-court headlines (new mint/chocolate sundae treat) and supplier ranging wins (Pure Foods Tasmania securing Costco distribution) are positive for traffic/merchandise momentum but are limited as near-term earnings drivers. Costco launches new food court treat to rival McDonalds Pure Foods Tasmania lifts Easter sales and secures Costco ranging in revenue push
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation concerns: analysis pieces argue Costco is a great business but currently priced for perfection (high P/E), which can limit multiple expansion and make the stock sensitive to any earnings miss. Costco: Fantastic Company, Unreasonable Valuation
• Negative Sentiment: Macro/tariff risks remain a recurring theme in coverage — persistent tariff uncertainty and consolidation risk could pressure margins or supply chains. Costco: Macro/Tariff Risks Persist – Further Consolidation Likely
• Negative Sentiment: Two class-action lawsuits targeting Costco’s $4.99 rotisserie chicken surfaced — legal/PR issues that are unlikely to be material financially but could attract negative headlines. Costco’s $4.99 Rotisserie Chicken Is Facing 2 Class-Action Lawsuits

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.