Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Stake Lessened by Phoenix Financial Ltd.

Phoenix Financial Ltd. lessened its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 27.5% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 15,552 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 5,893 shares during the period. Phoenix Financial Ltd.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $14,412,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter valued at about $31,000. Financial Connections Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 975.0% in the second quarter. Financial Connections Group Inc. now owns 43 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $42,000 after purchasing an additional 39 shares in the last quarter. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 72.0% in the second quarter. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC now owns 43 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $43,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Marquette Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2,200.0% during the third quarter. Marquette Asset Management LLC now owns 46 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $43,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares during the period. Finally, Spurstone Advisory Services LLC purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale during the second quarter valued at approximately $48,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Fool highlights three key metrics (membership renewal strength, per-location revenue growth, and long-term returns) that reinforce Costco’s durable competitive moat and justify investor confidence. 3 Important Metrics All Costco Stock Investors Need to Know
• Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley included Costco among its top picks into earnings, lending institutional credibility and likely supporting the stock as investors reposition ahead of results. Morgan Stanley’s top picks into earnings include AMD and Costco
• Positive Sentiment: Wolfe Research flagged tax-refund tailwinds as a potential near-term boost for consumer spending at Costco, a factor that could lift comparable-store sales and support short-term revenue. Wolfe Research Flags Tax Refund Tailwinds as a Positive for Costco Wholesale (COST)
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks and other bullish research pieces emphasize Costco’s growth characteristics across style scores, which helps attract growth and momentum-focused funds. Here’s Why Costco (COST) is a Strong Growth Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary notes COST has jumped year-to-date and rebounded from recent lows; these technical/momentum narratives can amplify flows but don’t change fundamentals by themselves. Costco Stock Has Jumped In 2026. Is It Too Late to Buy?
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst and trade-idea pieces (Barchart, TalkMarkets) discuss option/positioning strategies after recent moves — relevant for traders but mixed for long-term holders. Costco Stock Has Moved Up Over The Last Month – What Are The Best Plays Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: Consumer-facing pieces (shopping tips, membership benefits, product features) keep brand visibility high and can support long-term traffic but have limited immediate share-price impact. Costco’s lesser-known membership benefits explained
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory/legal risk: a new class-action lawsuit alleges false “no preservatives” claims on Kirkland rotisserie chicken — potential reputational and litigation costs, though impact is likely limited unless it escalates. Costco’s popular bargain meal at center of new lawsuit
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: a recent EVP sale of about $838k worth of stock may raise eyebrows for some investors, though single insider sales are common and not necessarily a signal of company prospects. Insider Selling: Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) EVP Sells $838,321.00 in Stock
• Negative Sentiment: Contrarian analysis explores downside scenarios (e.g., valuation compression), reminding investors that COST’s high P/E and PEG leave it sensitive to multiple contraction if growth slows. How Costco Stock Falls To $700?

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

NASDAQ COST opened at $977.67 on Tuesday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,078.23. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $901.58 and its two-hundred day moving average is $929.49. The firm has a market cap of $433.96 billion, a P/E ratio of 52.37, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.89 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 1.04 and a quick ratio of 0.53.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly earnings data 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 analyst estimates of $67.03 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $4.04 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

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

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on COST shares. Raymond James Financial cut their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,070.00 to $1,000.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $900.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 19th. Truist Financial reduced their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,033.00 to $926.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, October 9th. Finally, Citigroup dropped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,065.00 to $990.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, September 29th. Twenty-one investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $996.00.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 2,400 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $930.13, for a total transaction of $2,232,312.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 2,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,860,260. The trade was a 54.55% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, 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 transaction, the executive vice president owned 8,240 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,550,476.80. This trade represents a 15.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 9,315 shares of company stock valued at $8,549,409. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

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.