Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Stock Sold by Salem Investment Counselors Inc.

Salem Investment Counselors Inc. lowered its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 3.7% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 23,711 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 902 shares during the period. Salem Investment Counselors Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $21,585,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of COST. State Street Corp grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 31.7% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 23,901,594 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $22,359,224,000 after purchasing an additional 5,749,362 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE increased its position 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 worth $7,488,203,000 after purchasing an additional 773,651 shares in the last quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 838.9% in the 4th quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 6,125,405 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $5,282,182,000 after purchasing an additional 5,472,968 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 3.4% in the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,328,729 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,732,836,000 after purchasing an additional 143,150 shares during the last quarter. Finally, UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 5.5% during the second quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 3,068,312 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,870,314,000 after buying an additional 160,893 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 0.5%

NASDAQ:COST opened at $954.63 on Wednesday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,096.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.62. The company has a market cap of $423.03 billion, a PE ratio of 45.98, a P/E/G ratio of 4.07 and a beta of 0.88. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $930.95 and its 200 day simple moving average is $963.12.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, September 24th. The retailer reported $6.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.54 by $0.21. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.04% and a return on equity of 27.60%. The firm had revenue of $95.72 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $94.97 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $5.87 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 11.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 22.85 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,200 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $915.93, for a total value of $2,015,046.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 7,134 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,534,244.62. The trade was a 23.57% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Strong sales momentum: Costco reported September net sales of approximately $30.02 billion, up 13% year over year. Digital sales increased 19%, supported by expanded delivery options and personalization, indicating continued customer engagement beyond physical warehouses. Costco Wholesale Posts 13% September Sales Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Balance-sheet strength: Costco’s reported $21.3 billion liquidity cushion, manageable debt and robust cash generation give it flexibility to expand its warehouse network and invest in e-commerce. This provides an advantage over more financially constrained retail competitors. How Costco’s Balance Sheet Gives It an Edge
• Positive Sentiment: Constructive earnings outlook: Erste Group raised its FY2027 EPS forecast to $22.80 from $22.67 and projects FY2028 EPS of $25.01, reinforcing expectations for continued earnings growth. Costco analyst earnings estimates
• Neutral Sentiment: Competitive and consumer considerations: Costco continues to outperform or pressure traditional grocery rivals such as Albertsons, while its bulk-pack format and $65 membership fee may not be equally attractive for every household. A potential West Oakland warehouse could support employment and local growth but is not an immediate earnings catalyst.
• Negative Sentiment: Premium valuation and income competition: COST trades at roughly 46 times earnings, well above the broader market. The 10-year Treasury yield near 5.2% significantly exceeds Costco’s dividend yield, which can reduce the stock’s appeal to income-focused investors and increase valuation pressure. Costco Stock Versus 10-Year Treasury Notes
• Negative Sentiment: Questions about sales quality: Higher gasoline prices contributed to reported sales growth at Costco’s fuel business. If gas prices decline, some of that revenue boost could fade, making the premium valuation harder to justify despite solid underlying membership and digital trends. What Cheaper Gas Would Mean for Costco Sales and Margins

Analyst Ratings Changes

COST has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Costco Wholesale from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Thursday, October 8th. Oppenheimer reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $1,160.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Wednesday, September 16th. Citigroup initiated coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $1,020.00 price objective on the stock. BTIG Research restated a “buy” rating and set a $1,125.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Wednesday, September 23rd. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $1,175.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, September 25th. Twenty-three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,046.27.

About Costco Wholesale

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a membership-based warehouse retail business under the Costco name. The company sells a broad selection of merchandise, including groceries, fresh foods, beverages, appliances, electronics, furniture, apparel, jewelry, hardware, and seasonal products. It also offers services such as gasoline, pharmacies, optical departments, hearing-aid centers, food courts, travel services, and business delivery in selected markets.

Costco markets many products under its private-label Kirkland Signature brand and sells merchandise through warehouse locations and e-commerce platforms.