WealthPLAN Partners LLC Raises Stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

WealthPLAN Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 11.1% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 9,966 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 996 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale comprises approximately 1.4% of WealthPLAN Partners LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 14th largest position. WealthPLAN Partners LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $9,225,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Bulwark Capital Corp purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the second quarter worth approximately $25,000. Soundwatch Capital LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 635.7% in the 2nd quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC now owns 2,553 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 2,206 shares in the last quarter. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 2nd quarter valued at $31,000. Financial Connections Group Inc. raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 975.0% during the 2nd quarter. Financial Connections Group Inc. now owns 43 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $42,000 after acquiring an additional 39 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Frazier Financial Advisors LLC lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 72.0% in the second quarter. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC now owns 43 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $43,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 0.1%

NASDAQ COST opened at $941.93 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. The stock has a market capitalization of $418.09 billion, a P/E ratio of 50.45, a P/E/G ratio of 5.65 and a beta of 1.02. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,078.23. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $892.90 and a 200 day moving average price of $930.49.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.27 by $0.07. The company 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%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $4.04 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have issued reports on COST. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, December 29th. Argus raised their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,170.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, September 29th. Gordon Haskett cut their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,150.00 to $1,100.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, December 1st. Oppenheimer reduced their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,130.00 to $1,050.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, November 3rd. Finally, Hovde Group initiated coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Tuesday, November 18th. They set a “market perform” rating and a $16.00 target price on the stock. Twenty-one 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. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $996.00.

Insider Activity

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,700 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $935.68, for a total transaction of $2,526,336.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,851 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,410,343.68. This represents a 28.27% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $916.32, for a total value of $1,374,480.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 8,240 shares in the company, valued at $7,550,476.80. This trade represents a 15.40% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 10,446 shares of company stock valued at $9,549,528 in the last quarter. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Accelerating sales and e‑commerce: December sales and comp trends showed solid growth, with digital-enabled sales surging and average ticket size rising — supporting the thesis that Costco’s membership model and digital initiatives are driving higher traffic and spend. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/2-key-costco-sales-metrics-222600868.html
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade: Mizuho added COST to a top‑picks list and upgraded the name after the pullback, which can attract institutional flows and retail buyers. https://talkmarkets.com/content/stocks–equities/costco-wholesale-sees-mizuho-upgrade-after-pullback?post=549645
• Positive Sentiment: Store expansion and product placements: Reports of new warehouse builds (e.g., Camarillo) and grocery / frozen-product features, plus partnerships (Quicklly launching products at Costco) support revenue/membership growth over time. https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/costco-opening-6-new-warehouses-across-3-states/ar-AA1U8tTm https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/food-and-beverage-products/quicklly-achieves-a-major-nationwide-milestone-with-landmark-costco-and-1126379
• Positive Sentiment: Investor rotation into defensive consumer names: ETF coverage has highlighted Costco as a beneficiary of uneven consumer spending in 2026, which can lift demand for the stock in risk‑off flows. https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/sector-etfs/26/01/49880590/k-shaped-economy-etfs
• Neutral Sentiment: Brand and marketing mentions: lifestyle and product stories (e.g., Costco frozen foods features) are positive for brand but are low‑impact for near‑term stock moves. https://www.msn.com/en-us/food-and-drink/recipes/9-frozen-foods-from-costco-that-could-pass-for-homemade/ar-AA1U9AXA
• Neutral Sentiment: Competitive / sector pieces: coverage of other retail ideas (e.g., PriceSmart) provides comparative context for investors but doesn’t directly change Costco’s fundamentals. https://www.marketbeat.com/originals/pricesmarts-base-case-calls-for-45-in-upsidebull-case-is-better/
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling disclosed: EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares (Form 4 filing), trimming his position — insider sales can spook some investors even when small versus market cap. SEC filing: http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/909832/000090983226000004/xslF345X05/form4.xml Coverage: https://www.americanbankingnews.com/?p=30549394 https://www.insidertrades.com/alerts/nasdaq-cost-insider-buying-and-selling-2026-01-13/
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation concerns and skeptical commentary: several feature pieces note Costco now trades at a premium (~50x earnings) versus peers and argue that this rich valuation raises downside risk if sales momentum cools. https://www.fool.com/investing/2026/01/14/read-this-before-buying-costco-stock-for-the-long/

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.