SYM FINANCIAL Corp Sells 615 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

SYM FINANCIAL Corp decreased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 31.5% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,336 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 615 shares during the quarter. SYM FINANCIAL Corp’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $1,237,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Soundwatch Capital LLC boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 635.7% during the 2nd quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC now owns 2,553 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 2,206 shares during the last quarter. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the second quarter worth about $31,000. Financial Connections Group Inc. raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 975.0% during the second 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. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 72.0% during the second quarter. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC now owns 43 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $43,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Marquette Asset Management LLC grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 2,200.0% in the third quarter. Marquette Asset Management LLC now owns 46 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $43,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco announced its next dividend payment (record/paid schedule) that supports income-focused holders and underscores predictable cash returns for shareholders. Costco to pay dividends on February 13
• Positive Sentiment: Brokerage coverage remains constructive with an average rating of “Moderate Buy,” which can limit downside from coordinated selling and supports investor confidence. Given Average Rating of Moderate Buy
• Positive Sentiment: High-profile bullish commentary (e.g., Jim Cramer) and multiple long-term bullish write-ups reinforce the narrative that Costco’s membership model and warehouse expansion remain durable drivers for growth. These narratives can attract longer-term buyers. Jim Cramer Says “I Want You to Stay With Costco”
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage highlighting Costco as a momentum/long-term growth stock reiterates positives (same-store sales, new warehouses), but these are largely reiterations rather than new catalysts. Why Costco is a Top Momentum Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Reported short-interest data in recent feeds is inconsistent/erroneous (zeros/NaN) and should not be treated as a reliable signal on current positioning. (No link — data summary.)
• Negative Sentiment: A proposed class-action lawsuit alleges Costco’s $5 rotisserie chickens are not preservative‑free, claiming use of sodium phosphate and carrageenan; this raises legal, settlement and reputational risks tied to a high‑volume, signature product. Such suits can pressure near-term sentiment and valuation multiples. Costco Is Sued Over Preservatives in Its $5 Rotisserie Chickens
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple outlets amplify the lawsuit story (local filing in San Diego), increasing media attention and potential customer PR impact — a headline risk that likely contributed to today’s selloff. Costco accused of deceiving shoppers
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst/peer-compare pieces argue competitors like Dollar General may offer more upside given turnaround and real‑estate/digital initiatives — a narrative that can cap multiple expansion for Costco given its already-premium valuation. Costco vs. Dollar General: Which is the better buy?

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on 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 completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 44,837 shares in the company, valued at $42,101,943. The trade was a 3.24% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total value of $838,321.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 4,228 shares in the company, valued at $4,169,907.28. The trade was a 16.74% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold a total of 9,315 shares of company stock worth $8,549,409 over the last three months. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. UBS Group reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, October 9th. TD Cowen reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Roth Mkm set a $769.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale and gave the company a “sell” rating in a report on Monday, December 15th. Finally, Northcoast Research set a $1,100.00 price target on Costco Wholesale and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 24th. Twenty-one analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $996.00.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of COST stock opened at $952.89 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,078.23. The company has a market capitalization of $422.96 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.04, a PEG ratio of 5.74 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $905.68 and a 200 day simple moving average of $929.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a current ratio of 1.04.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.27 by $0.07. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.96% and a return on equity of 29.35%. The firm had revenue of $67.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $67.03 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $4.04 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Friday, January 30th will be issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 27.85%.

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.