Swiss Life Asset Management Ltd Sells 4,304 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Swiss Life Asset Management Ltd lessened its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 4.2% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 97,315 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 4,304 shares during the quarter. Swiss Life Asset Management Ltd’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $90,078,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 49.3% in the third quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated now owns 3,780 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,499,000 after buying an additional 1,248 shares in the last quarter. Permanent Capital Management LP acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth $874,000. Wealthspire Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.0% in the 2nd quarter. Wealthspire Advisors LLC now owns 15,799 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $15,640,000 after acquiring an additional 312 shares during the last quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC lifted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 43.6% in the 3rd quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 23,444 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $21,700,000 after acquiring an additional 7,116 shares during the last quarter. Finally, FORA Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at $2,781,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on the company. HSBC reduced their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,045.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 12th. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,171.00 to $1,088.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Bank of America initiated coverage on Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, February 27th. They set a “buy” rating and a $1,185.00 price target on the stock. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Finally, UBS Group set a $1,175.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, March 6th. Twenty-three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,039.13.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $939.00, for a total value of $1,408,500.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 44,837 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $42,101,943. The trade was a 3.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 7,645 shares of company stock valued at $7,049,302 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco is opening its first standalone gas station in Mission Viejo, CA, expanding fuel footprint and local competitive pressure on convenience stores — this can boost fuel volumes and membership value over time. Costco’s first standalone gas station to open by late June
• Positive Sentiment: Management commentary and recent analysis highlight resilient consumer spending at Costco and a strong gas business, supporting revenue stability even during broader market weakness. Why Costco Stock Is Up 16% in 2026 While the Broader Market Sells Off
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple bullish pieces argue Costco’s premium multiple is justified by its membership model, Kirkland private label strength, and recession resilience — narratives that support a higher valuation multiple. 3 Reasons Costco Stock Deserves to Trade at a Sky-High Valuation
• Positive Sentiment: Local initiatives and benefits — e.g., lowering fertility-drug costs in New Jersey and rollout of faster checkout tech — boost member value and may support retention and traffic. Costco to lower cost of fertility drugs in NJ
• Neutral Sentiment: New product and private-label news (sourdough kit, new Kirkland items) help drive in-store traffic and add to merchandise appeal but are routine for Costco’s merchandising strategy. This Costco Sourdough Kit Has Everything You Need to Start Baking Bread
• Neutral Sentiment: Macro trade/tariff developments and energy policy moves (Jones Act waiver, new tariffs) create broader cost/price risk for retail but impacts on Costco are indirect and timing uncertain. Trump tariffs live updates
• Neutral Sentiment: Reports that some members may pay more to renew memberships could boost recurring revenue if accepted, but risk minor churn; net effect depends on price level and timing. Some Costco members may pay more to renew their memberships
• Negative Sentiment: Costco issued recalls and warnings after possible salmonella contamination in heat-and-serve/meatloaf meal kits — food-safety recalls can dent foot traffic, incur recall costs, and temporarily harm reputation. Costco recalls popular heat-and-serve meal sold at NC stores. How to get a refund

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of COST opened at $979.92 on Thursday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $982.13 and a 200-day moving average of $938.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.59. The company has a market capitalization of $434.74 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 50.96, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.92 and a beta of 1.01. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,067.08.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The business had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $4.02 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Friday, January 30th were paid a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 27.04%.

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.