Maple Capital Management Inc. Grows Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Maple Capital Management Inc. lifted its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 0.9% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 64,511 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 581 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale comprises approximately 3.9% of Maple Capital Management Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its 7th largest position. Maple Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $59,713,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of COST. Hurley Capital LLC lifted its position in 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 acquiring an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at about $34,000. Collier Financial acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at about $35,000. AXS Investments LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter worth about $36,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter worth about $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages recently weighed in on COST. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $1,044.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Mizuho increased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,065.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group raised their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 10th. Twenty-three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,039.13.

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 1.6%

Shares of COST opened at $979.92 on Thursday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,067.08. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The firm has a market capitalization of $434.74 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 50.96, a P/E/G ratio of 4.92 and a beta of 1.01. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $982.13 and its 200 day moving average price is $938.12.

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

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Friday, January 30th were given a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend 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 27.04%.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Javier Polit sold 2,049 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, December 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $867.21, for a total value of $1,776,913.29. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 10,748 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,320,773.08. This represents a 16.01% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% 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 over the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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 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.