Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Stock: Summit Global Investments Lowers Holdings

Summit Global Investments cut its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 14.0% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 10,711 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 1,750 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale accounts for about 0.5% of Summit Global Investments’ portfolio, making the stock its 27th largest position. Summit Global Investments’ holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $9,751,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of COST. Bank of America Corp DE acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the second quarter valued at about $6,781,946,000. State Street Corp raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 31.7% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 23,901,594 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $22,359,224,000 after buying an additional 5,749,362 shares during the period. Legal & General Group Plc acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $2,362,188,000. Ascentis Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 103,637.0% during the 2nd quarter. Ascentis Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,500,062 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,549,616,000 after acquiring an additional 2,497,652 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Corient Private Wealth LP acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $726,689,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on COST shares. Raymond James Financial decreased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,050.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, September 25th. Mizuho dropped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,065.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, September 25th. Evercore reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Tuesday, September 22nd. Oppenheimer reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $1,160.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Wednesday, September 16th. Finally, Tigress Financial lifted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,065.00 to $1,250.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 15th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-four have given a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,086.19.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Store expansion supports long-term growth. Costco plans to open 13 locations by the end of 2026, potentially expanding its membership base and sales footprint. Costco opening 13 locations by end of 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Membership acquisition remains a focus. A promotional offer providing new members with a $45 gift card could help drive sign-ups ahead of the holiday shopping season, supporting recurring membership-fee revenue. Costco membership Black Friday deal
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect continued earnings momentum. Costco’s upcoming fiscal first-quarter 2027 report is expected to show double-digit year-over-year EPS growth. Its latest quarter also beat consensus estimates on both earnings and revenue. What to expect from Costco Wholesale’s next quarterly earnings report
• Positive Sentiment: Customer loyalty and digital engagement remain strengths. Coverage highlights near-record renewal rates, busy warehouses, a younger shopper base and growing use of Costco’s digital channels. These factors reinforce the company’s competitive advantages and long-term sales potential. The New Costco Shopper Is Under 40
• Neutral Sentiment: Healthcare partnerships could deepen member engagement. Integrations with NationsBenefits and SCAN Health Plan are expanding Costco’s role in Medicare-related spending across more than 600 U.S. warehouses, though the financial contribution is not yet clear. Medicare push and Costco investors
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation leaves little room for disappointment. Costco trades at roughly 49 times earnings, making execution and upcoming results especially important. Analysts remain positive, but the stock’s premium valuation could amplify downside if growth slows. Costco stock’s long-term competitive advantages

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

COST stock opened at $1,012.28 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,096.50. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $943.31 and its two-hundred day moving average is $970.25. The company has a market capitalization of $448.57 billion, a PE ratio of 48.76, a P/E/G ratio of 4.33 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, September 24th. The retailer reported $6.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.54 by $0.21. The company had revenue of $95.72 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $94.97 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 27.60% and a net margin of 3.04%. Costco Wholesale’s quarterly revenue was up 11.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $5.87 EPS. Analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 22.70 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Investors of record on Friday, October 30th will be paid a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, October 30th. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is 28.32%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,200 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $915.93, for a total value of $2,015,046.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 7,134 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,534,244.62. This represents a 23.57% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 1,100 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $958.21, for a total transaction of $1,054,031.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 3,094 shares in the company, valued at $2,964,701.74. This represents a 26.23% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Costco Wholesale Company Profile

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a membership-based warehouse retail business under the Costco name. The company sells merchandise in bulk and at competitive prices through warehouse clubs and e-commerce platforms, serving individual consumers, businesses and other organizations.

Its product selection includes groceries and fresh foods, household supplies, appliances, electronics, furniture, apparel, health and beauty products, jewelry, automotive products and prescription drugs. Costco also provides services such as optical care, pharmacy services, hearing-aid sales, travel offerings and fuel sales, depending on location.

The company traces its roots to Price Club, which opened in San Diego in 1976.