Smart Money Group LLC Sells 671 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Smart Money Group LLC decreased its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 57.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 504 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 671 shares during the quarter. Smart Money Group LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $466,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $31,000. Hurley Capital LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth $34,000. Collier Financial acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $939.00, for a total transaction of $1,408,500.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 44,837 shares in the company, valued at approximately $42,101,943. This trade represents a 3.24% 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 Javier Polit sold 558 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $862.89, for a total value of $481,492.62. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 10,190 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,792,849.10. This trade represents a 5.19% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last three months, insiders sold 6,915 shares of company stock valued at $6,317,097. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 2.4%

COST opened at $1,010.79 on Monday. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $948.16 and its 200 day simple moving average is $934.65. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,067.08. The stock has a market cap of $448.66 billion, a PE ratio of 54.14, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.11 and a beta of 1.00. The company has a current ratio of 1.04, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19.

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

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Friday, January 30th were paid a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 30th. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is 27.85%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have commented on COST. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $900.00 to $950.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,218.00 to $1,171.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Citigroup reiterated a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, February 20th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $1,044.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Raymond James Financial lowered their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,070.00 to $1,000.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,016.18.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect solid Q2 results (consensus ~ $4.55 EPS on ~$69.25B revenue) and Street sentiment is bullish, which underpins the recent rally and investor optimism. Should You Buy Costco Stock Before Thursday’s Q2 Earnings Report?
• Positive Sentiment: Bank of America reinstated coverage with a Buy and a $1,185 price target, citing pricing power and strong customer loyalty — a high-profile analyst endorsement that can support further upside. Costco (COST) Gains Buy Rating From BofA on Strength of Pricing and Customer Loyalty
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is pursuing membership growth and opening new warehouses selectively; management’s focus on renewals and membership revenue remains a structural earnings driver. Costco banks on membership growth to drive dividend payout
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is among >1,800 companies pursuing tariff-refund lawsuits after recent Supreme Court rulings; a favorable outcome could produce material cash inflows or lower future import costs. Costco Tariff Lawsuits Could Reshape Costs And Cash For Members
• Neutral Sentiment: Street coverage and retail previews (Zacks, Barron’s, TipRanks) highlight Costco as a key data point in a busy retail earnings week — results could move the stock but are likely to be interpreted in the context of peers. Is Costco Stock (COST) a Buy Ahead of Q2 Earnings?
• Neutral Sentiment: Bank of America starting/renewing research coverage increases liquidity in analyst dialogue but doesn’t guarantee near-term price moves; treat as visibility improvement. Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) Research Coverage Started at Bank of America
• Negative Sentiment: Geopolitical shocks (recent US/Israel actions on Iran) have pushed risk-off flows and pressured futures — broader market weakness could cap Costco’s upside even if company results meet expectations. Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq futures plunge while oil prices surge as Iran conflict jolts markets

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.