Kozak & Associates Inc. Decreases Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Kozak & Associates Inc. decreased its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 13.3% in the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 17,565 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 2,706 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale comprises about 3.1% of Kozak & Associates Inc.’s portfolio, making the stock its 14th biggest position. Kozak & Associates Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $16,030,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Brighton Jones LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 12.3% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 19,825 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $18,165,000 after purchasing an additional 2,172 shares during the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 13.1% during the 4th quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,123 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,029,000 after purchasing an additional 130 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 4.5% during the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 3,853 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,814,000 after purchasing an additional 165 shares in the last quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% in the second quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. now owns 2,110 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,089,000 after buying an additional 23 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Schnieders Capital Management LLC. raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.2% in the second quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 8,502 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $8,416,000 after buying an additional 182 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Management says shoppers remain willing to spend at Costco and its fuel business is resilient; commentary that Costco moderates gas margin changes supports steady traffic and membership value, a bullish signal for near-term same-store sales. Why Costco Stock Is Up 16% in 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Kirkland Signature continues to expand (new products from wings to salmon and ongoing brand-strength coverage), reinforcing private-label margins and member loyalty — a structural moat that supports higher-margin sales over time. Costco adds new Kirkland Signature products
• Positive Sentiment: New checkout technology pilots could speed throughput and reduce labor/friction costs if rolled out broadly, improving store economics and customer experience. Costco’s New Checkout Tech
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco is pursuing local expansion talks (Asheville, NC), which could support long-term growth but have limited immediate earnings impact. Is Asheville Costco still possible?
• Negative Sentiment: Costco has issued recalls and public warnings for prepared meatloaf/meal kits over potential Salmonella contamination in multiple states; recalls can drive short-term costs, refunds, regulatory scrutiny and pressure foot traffic for affected categories. Costco recalls popular heat-and-serve meal sold at NC stores
• Negative Sentiment: Broad media and health-department alerts (Hawaii, multiple states) amplified the recall story, increasing reputational risk and the chance of localized sales softness in deli/ready-to-eat categories. Costco warns shoppers after salmonella contamination

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of COST opened at $996.16 on Wednesday. The business’s 50-day moving average is $980.18 and its two-hundred day moving average is $937.82. The company has a market capitalization of $441.95 billion, a P/E ratio of 51.80, a P/E/G ratio of 5.06 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 fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,067.08.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate 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 during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $4.02 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 30th were issued 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%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $916.32, for a total value of $1,374,480.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 8,240 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,550,476.80. This represents a 15.40% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total transaction of $838,321.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 4,228 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,169,907.28. This trade represents a 16.74% 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 7,645 shares of company stock worth $7,049,302. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms recently issued reports on COST. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $900.00 to $950.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Telsey Advisory Group boosted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,125.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $1,155.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, February 9th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,039.13.

Costco Wholesale 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.