Pallas Capital Advisors LLC Lowers Stock Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Pallas Capital Advisors LLC reduced its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 9.6% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 10,419 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 1,104 shares during the period. Pallas Capital Advisors LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $8,985,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Hurley Capital LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Collier Financial bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at approximately $35,000. AXS Investments LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ:COST opened at $983.86 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 1.06. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,067.08. The firm has a market cap of $436.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.16, a PEG ratio of 4.84 and a beta of 1.01. The business’s fifty day moving average is $986.70 and its 200 day moving average is $939.26.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The firm’s revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $4.02 EPS. Research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 30th were issued 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 of this dividend was Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is presently 27.04%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $939.00, for a total value of $1,408,500.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 44,837 shares in the company, valued at $42,101,943. This represents a 3.24% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $916.32, for a total transaction of $1,374,480.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 8,240 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,550,476.80. The trade was a 15.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold 7,645 shares of company stock valued at $7,049,302 in the last three months. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have weighed in on COST. Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Truist Financial raised their target price on Costco Wholesale from $926.00 to $977.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $900.00 to $950.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Raymond James Financial boosted 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. Finally, Rothschild & Co Redburn increased their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. 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. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,039.13.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Erste Group raised FY2026 and FY2027 EPS estimates, signaling stronger-than-expected profit outlook that supports higher valuation multiples for COST. Erste Group EPS Upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is rolling out standalone gas stations — a potential traffic driver and membership-value play that could boost ancillary revenue and stickiness of memberships. Costco Is Launching Standalone Gas Stations
• Positive Sentiment: Costco opened its 11th Canadian Business Centre (Winnipeg), expanding B2B footprint, creating local jobs and increasing wholesale penetration in a new province. Canada’s Eleventh Costco Business Centre
• Positive Sentiment: New Kirkland energy drink rollout is drawing customer enthusiasm and could pressure branded competitors while reinforcing Costco’s private-label margin advantages. Kirkland Energy Drink Coverage
• Positive Sentiment: High-profile endorsements and favorable press (Charlie Munger praise, coverage highlighting membership loyalty) help sentiment and investor confidence in Costco’s durable model. Charlie Munger on Costco
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage comparing Costco to Walmart and Amazon frames Costco as a defensive, membership-driven retailer but highlights intensifying omnichannel and ad-revenue competition from peers. Walmart or Costco: Who’s Winning?
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor write-ups (Fool, MarketBeat) continue to list Costco as a top consumer-staples holding — supportive for long-term flows but not a catalyst for immediate re-rating. The 2 Best Consumer Staples Stocks
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts and media flag concerns about membership-growth trends and rich valuation — a key risk that could cap upside if membership or comparable-sales momentum slows. Analyst Concerns on Membership Growth

Costco Wholesale Company 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.