Triangle Securities Wealth Management Purchases 568 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Triangle Securities Wealth Management raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 39.6% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 2,003 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 568 shares during the period. Triangle Securities Wealth Management’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $1,727,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Hurley Capital LLC increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at $34,000. Collier Financial purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at about $35,000. AXS Investments LLC purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter worth about $36,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $36,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total value of $732,204.60. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Javier Polit sold 2,049 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, December 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $867.21, for a total value of $1,776,913.29. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 10,748 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $9,320,773.08. The trade was a 16.01% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 7,645 shares of company stock valued at $7,049,302 in the last ninety days. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 0.5%

COST opened at $979.65 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,067.08. The company has a market cap of $434.62 billion, a PE ratio of 50.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.81 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $986.29 and a 200 day moving average price of $939.17.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.Costco Wholesale’s quarterly revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $4.02 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 30th were given a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is 27.04%.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco is testing standalone gas stations, a move that could deepen its membership moat by turning fuel into a traffic and retention tool, supporting long‑term comps and membership revenue. Costco Is Launching Standalone Gas Stations. Why the Heck Does Wall Street Care?
• Positive Sentiment: Rising gas prices are likely to benefit Costco because its low pump pricing drives membership signups/renewals and consistent store traffic — making fuel a strategic advantage rather than a profit center. Will Rising Gas Prices Send Costco’s Stock Higher?
• Positive Sentiment: Erste Group raised its FY2026 and FY2027 EPS forecasts (FY2026 → $20.43; FY2027 → $22.47), signaling stronger-than-expected profit momentum versus consensus — a direct bullish catalyst for earnings expectations. Erste Group Raises Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: New Kirkland‑branded energy drinks are drawing strong member interest and are pressuring rivals (e.g., Celsius), showing Costco can use private‑label launches to win share and margin—a tailwind for sales and membership value. Why Costco’s cheap new Kirkland energy drink won’t crush Celsius
• Positive Sentiment: Local expansion: Costco secured a Polaris site in Columbus, adding capacity in a growth market and signaling continued store footprint growth that supports membership gains over time. Costco Grabs Polaris Plot For Bigger Columbus Footprint
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts remain broadly bullish with a consensus price target near $1,100, but the coverage notes increasing concerns around membership-growth trends and the stock’s valuation — mixed signals for near‑term momentum. Analysts Bullish on Costco Despite Concerns
• Neutral Sentiment: Product/competition coverage (press and ETFs): commentary about the COSW covered‑call ETF and media pieces on Costco deals/products may influence sentiment but don’t alter fundamentals. COSW Sells Away Costco’s Upside
• Neutral Sentiment: Regulatory/consumer refund watch: FedEx, Costco and UPS are named as targets for consumer tariff refund programs — could produce one‑time benefits but uncertain impact. FedEx, Costco, UPS Are Main Targets for Consumer Tariff Refunds
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation risk: COST trades at a premium multiple (PE ~51, PEG ~4.8) — strong execution is already priced in, so any slowdown in membership growth or comp traffic could pressure the stock despite positive operational news. Analysts Flag Membership & Valuation Risks

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages recently weighed in on COST. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Raymond James Financial increased their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $900.00 to $950.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, BTIG Research reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $1,115.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,039.13.

Costco Wholesale Profile

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.