Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Sold by Securian Asset Management Inc.

Securian Asset Management Inc. lessened its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 7.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 21,417 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 1,780 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale comprises about 0.5% of Securian Asset Management Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its 29th biggest holding. Securian Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $19,824,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Birchbrook Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.5% in the first quarter. Birchbrook Inc. now owns 456 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $431,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the period. Ridgewood Investments LLC lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 7.4% in the second quarter. Ridgewood Investments LLC now owns 159 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $157,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the period. Wagner Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 3.4% during the second quarter. Wagner Wealth Management LLC now owns 330 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $326,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the period. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 4.4% in the 2nd quarter. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC now owns 262 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $259,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Busey Bank lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.4% during the 3rd quarter. Busey Bank now owns 2,651 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,454,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of COST stock opened at $889.10 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $394.64 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.62, a P/E/G ratio of 5.25 and a beta of 1.02. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,078.23. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $893.00 and a two-hundred day moving average of $932.98. 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 announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share (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 analysts’ expectations of $67.03 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 29.35% and a net margin of 2.96%.Costco Wholesale’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $4.04 earnings per share. As a group, research 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 was paid on Friday, November 14th. Stockholders of record on Friday, October 31st were given a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, October 31st. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is presently 27.85%.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Mizuho upgraded COST to “outperform” and raised its $1,000 price target, citing renewed growth optimism and valuation support — a clear near‑term bullish catalyst for share demand. A Look At Costco (COST) Valuation After Mizuho Upgrade And Renewed Growth Optimism
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple analyst upgrades and commentary (including talk of a possible special dividend) have lifted sentiment and institutional interest, reinforcing upside expectations. Costco Stock (COST) Gets Multiple Analyst Upgrades to Start the New Year
• Positive Sentiment: Logistics expansion: a new Costco distribution center in Port St. Lucie is expected to open in March 2026, which should improve regional inventory flow and support store growth in Florida. Costco distribution center in Port St. Lucie expected to open March 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Membership/value initiatives: Costco partnerships (e.g., discounted EV programs) and an improving digital ecosystem are highlighted as ways to boost member engagement and ancillary revenue. You Can Get A Discounted Cadillac Or Volvo EV If You’re A Costco Member
• Positive Sentiment: International progress: Costco NZ turned profitable ($9.6M) as revenue climbed — positive proof of overseas unit economics and marginal contribution to consolidated results. From red to black: Costco NZ posts $9.6m profit as revenue climbs
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst/industry views highlighting Costco’s digital push and same‑day delivery as a growing engine for sales and member loyalty. Costco’s Digital Ecosystem Emerges as a Powerful Growth Engine
• Neutral Sentiment: Consumer interest/content pieces (hot‑dog facts, shopping tips) are driving retail traffic but have minimal direct impact on fundamentals. 9 Costco Hot Dog Facts Only A True Food Court Fan Would Know
• Neutral Sentiment: Media/TV mentions (e.g., Jim Cramer) and inclusion in “long‑term hold” lists support ongoing retail/investor interest but are not immediate earnings catalysts. Cramer’s Stop Trading: Costco
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and recent price pressure: several pieces note COST’s lofty P/E and that the stock has pulled back ~18% from its one‑year high, raising near‑term downside risk if sales/membership trends disappoint. Costco (NASDAQ: COST) Price Prediction and Forecast (January 2026)
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage noting sluggish sales/membership growth and suggestions for fixes underline that operational execution matters for sustaining the premium multiple. 5 Ways Costco Stock Could Regain Its Mojo

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Javier Polit sold 558 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $862.89, for a total transaction of $481,492.62. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 10,190 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,792,849.10. The trade was a 5.19% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, 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 sale, the executive vice president owned 2,000 shares in the company, valued at $1,860,260. This trade represents a 54.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 8,946 shares of company stock valued at $8,175,048. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

COST has been the topic of a number of research reports. Raymond James Financial lowered their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,070.00 to $1,000.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Telsey Advisory Group restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $1,100.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, January 2nd. Sanford C. Bernstein upped their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,134.00 to $1,146.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, December 12th. Argus increased their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,170.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, September 29th. Finally, Oppenheimer dropped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,130.00 to $1,050.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, November 3rd. Twenty equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $994.08.

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.