5,262 Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Sold by Milestone Asset Management LLC

Milestone Asset Management LLC decreased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 74.9% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 1,768 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 5,262 shares during the quarter. Milestone Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $1,610,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Contravisory Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 107.7% in the 3rd quarter. Contravisory Investment Management Inc. now owns 27 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 14 shares during the last quarter. C M Bidwell & Associates Ltd. bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the second quarter worth $28,000. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth $27,000. Burk Holdings LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the second quarter worth $30,000. Finally, Manning & Napier Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the second quarter valued at $30,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 1,100 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $958.21, for a total transaction of $1,054,031.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 3,094 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,964,701.74. This represents a 26.23% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,200 shares of the stock in a transaction dated 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 transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 7,134 shares in the company, valued at $6,534,244.62. This trade represents a 23.57% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have commented on the stock. Bank of America cut their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,200.00 to $1,095.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, September 16th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,091.00 to $1,079.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday, September 28th. Weiss Ratings raised Costco Wholesale from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 8th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on 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. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group cut their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,130.00 to $1,100.00 in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Twenty-four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,087.40.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: September sales accelerated: Costco reported September net sales of $30.02 billion, up 13% year over year, while digitally enabled sales increased 19%. The results reinforce the strength of Costco’s membership model, e-commerce business and value-focused offering. September Sales Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support remains strong: Tigress Financial reiterated a Buy rating while setting a $1,065 price target after previously publicizing a higher $1,250 target. Other coverage highlights Costco’s sales growth, membership loyalty and digital gains, supporting the recent recovery above key moving averages. Tigress Financial Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend maintained: Costco declared a quarterly dividend of $1.47 per share, payable November 13 to shareholders of record October 30. While the approximately 0.6% yield is modest, the payment signals continued cash-flow strength. Costco Dividend Announcement
• Positive Sentiment: Expansion pipeline: Proposed warehouse projects in Macon and Oakland, along with a planned Merced County relocation, point to continued investment in Costco’s store network. Infrastructure financing of up to $30 million could support the Macon development. Macon Costco Project
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco’s fiscal 2027 executive bonus plan adds sustainability-related measures. The change may support long-term operational goals, but it is unlikely to materially affect near-term earnings. Costco Executive Bonus Update
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and macro risks remain: Costco trades at a high earnings multiple, leaving the stock vulnerable if growth or membership trends slow. Persistent inflation and potentially higher interest rates could also pressure consumer spending and market valuations.
• Negative Sentiment: An executive sold 1,100 shares worth approximately $1.05 million. The transaction is relatively small compared with Costco’s market value, but it may add a modest cautionary signal for investors. Costco Insider Sale

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 1.1%

Shares of NASDAQ:COST traded up $11.10 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $989.11. The company had a trading volume of 2,515,009 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,387,814. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $933.15 and a 200 day moving average price of $963.28. The company has a market capitalization of $438.30 billion, a PE ratio of 47.64, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.18 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.62. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,096.50.

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, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.54 by $0.21. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.04% and a return on equity of 27.60%. The company had revenue of $95.72 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $94.97 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $5.87 EPS. Costco Wholesale’s quarterly revenue was up 11.1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 22.70 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 30th will be issued a $1.47 dividend. 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%.

Costco Wholesale Profile

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.