World Equity Group Inc. Sells 8,333 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

World Equity Group Inc. reduced its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 91.1% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 812 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 8,333 shares during the quarter. World Equity Group Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $700,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 49.3% during the 3rd quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated now owns 3,780 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $3,499,000 after acquiring an additional 1,248 shares during the last quarter. Permanent Capital Management LP acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth $874,000. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 43.6% in the third quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 23,444 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $21,700,000 after purchasing an additional 7,116 shares during the last quarter. FORA Capital LLC acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at $2,781,000. Finally, Lombard Odier Asset Management Switzerland SA raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 8.9% during the 2nd quarter. Lombard Odier Asset Management Switzerland SA now owns 18,132 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $17,950,000 after purchasing an additional 1,480 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco is rolling out standalone gas stations, a move that could drive incremental store traffic, strengthen membership value and capture higher-margin fuel sales — a direct lever for same-store sales and member retention. Costco Is Launching Standalone Gas Stations
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts at Erste Group raised FY2026 and FY2027 EPS estimates for Costco, lifting forward earnings expectations and underwriting upside to valuation. Upward revisions tend to support sentiment for the stock. Erste Group Raises Earnings Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Momentum: Costco snapped a six-session losing streak, signaling a short-term technical rebound that can attract momentum traders and reduce near-term selling pressure. Costco shares snapped six-session losing streak
• Positive Sentiment: Product mix and private-label strength: New Kirkland energy drinks have drawn strong member interest — private-label rollouts boost margin and can pressure branded competitors while enhancing membership value. Costco’s new energy drink delights fans
• Neutral Sentiment: Real estate growth: Costco acquired a Polaris plot to expand its Columbus footprint — steady unit growth supports long-term comp growth but is a gradual driver rather than an immediate catalyst. Costco Grabs Polaris Plot For Bigger Columbus Footprint
• Neutral Sentiment: Market mentions and buy lists: CNBC and other outlets continue to recommend Costco in rotation of retail picks — useful for flows but not a direct earnings driver. Costco on CNBC’s ‘Final Trades’
• Negative Sentiment: Membership-growth & valuation worries persist: Some analysts flag slowing membership adds and a rich multiple, which constrain upside and make the stock more sensitive to execution misses. Analysts Bullish on Costco Despite Concerns
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory/consumer claims risk: Reports name Costco among targets for consumer tariff refund actions, introducing legal and financial uncertainty if claims gain traction. FedEx, Costco, UPS Main Targets for Consumer Tariff Refunds
• Negative Sentiment: Income-focused ETF product (COST WeeklyPay) can siphon upside: Products that monetize future upside for yield-seeking investors may limit long-term capital appreciation for holders. COSW Sells Away Costco’s Upside

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Javier Polit sold 2,049 shares of Costco Wholesale 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 sale, the executive vice president directly owned 10,748 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $9,320,773.08. The trade was a 16.01% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible 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 transaction of $1,408,500.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 44,837 shares in the company, valued at $42,101,943. This trade represents a 3.24% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 7,645 shares of company stock worth $7,049,302 over the last ninety days. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 0.5%

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $979.65 on Friday. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $986.29 and its 200 day moving average is $939.17. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,067.08. The firm has a market cap of $434.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 50.94, a PEG ratio of 4.81 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.59.

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

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

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

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have commented on COST. Northcoast Research set a $1,100.00 price target on Costco Wholesale and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 24th. Oppenheimer lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $1,044.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Mizuho increased their target price on shares of 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, Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and set a $1,050.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,039.13.

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.