State of Alaska Department of Revenue Sells 2,359 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

State of Alaska Department of Revenue trimmed its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 3.8% during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 59,475 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 2,359 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale accounts for 0.6% of State of Alaska Department of Revenue’s holdings, making the stock its 22nd largest holding. State of Alaska Department of Revenue’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $55,051,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Birchbrook Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.5% during the 1st quarter. Birchbrook Inc. now owns 456 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $431,000 after buying an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Ridgewood Investments LLC boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 7.4% in the second quarter. Ridgewood Investments LLC now owns 159 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $157,000 after buying an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Wagner Wealth Management LLC grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 3.4% in the second quarter. Wagner Wealth Management LLC now owns 330 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $326,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 4.4% during the second quarter. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC now owns 262 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $259,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Busey Bank raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.4% during the third quarter. Busey Bank now owns 2,651 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,454,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 2,400 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $930.13, for a total value of $2,232,312.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 2,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,860,260. This represents a 54.55% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, insider Tiffany Marie Barbre sold 1,239 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $934.62, for a total transaction of $1,157,994.18. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 5,155 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,817,966.10. The trade was a 19.38% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold a total of 8,946 shares of company stock valued at $8,175,048 over the last ninety days. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 3.7%

COST opened at $915.31 on Friday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $892.31 and a 200 day moving average of $932.51. The company has a current ratio of 1.04, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. The company has a market cap of $406.28 billion, a PE ratio of 49.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.29 and a beta of 1.02. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,078.23.

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

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 14th. Stockholders of record on Friday, October 31st were paid a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, October 31st. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is currently 27.85%.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: December net sales accelerated: Costco reported $29.86B in December net sales (up 8.5% YoY) with total-company comparable sales +7.0% and digitally-enabled sales up ~19%. The top-line strength is driving optimism about holiday momentum and FY2026 growth. Costco December Sales Results
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades and coverage: Multiple firms reaffirmed bullish views (Telsey $1,100 PT, J.P. Morgan maintain Buy with $1,000 PT; new Deutsche Bank coverage is Buy). Upgrades and high price targets support upside expectations. Analyst Ratings & Price Targets
• Positive Sentiment: Retail momentum and commentary: Coverage from Benzinga, The Motley Fool and Investopedia highlights a “holiday blowout,” strong monthly sales data and shoppers favoring Costco’s value proposition — factors likely supporting near-term sentiment and multiple expansion. Why Costco Stock Popped Today
• Positive Sentiment: Investor speculation about capital returns: Some commentary (TipRanks) notes investors hunting for a potential special dividend given strong sales and cash flow — such prospects can boost short-term buying interest. Special Dividend Speculation
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation context: Commentary notes Costco still trades at a premium (high forward P/E) relative to many peers; strong sales help justify premium but keep valuation sensitivity to execution and margins. Valuation Comparison Commentary
• Neutral Sentiment: High visibility but mixed positioning: Jim Cramer noted granular portfolio moves (selling some Costco for a trust) while calling the company “too good” to fully exit — a nuanced endorsement that signals confidence but also profit-taking. Jim Cramer on Costco
• Negative Sentiment: Local development/legal risk: A lawsuit is attempting to block a new Paramus, NJ Costco, creating a near-term local legal headwind (unlikely to affect company-wide sales materially but worth watching for incremental legal/PR noise). Paramus Lawsuit
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling and institutional flows: Recent data show notable insider sales and mixed institutional activity (some large funds trimming positions), which could weigh on sentiment if sales continue. QuiverQuant Sales & Ownership Data

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on COST shares. Argus raised their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,170.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, September 29th. Daiwa Capital Markets dropped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $947.00 to $917.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, December 16th. Raymond James Financial decreased their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,070.00 to $1,000.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Robert W. Baird lowered their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,000.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, December 12th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,218.00 to $1,171.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Twenty-one equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $996.00.

About Costco Wholesale

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.