Lazard Freres Gestion S.A.S. Raises Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Lazard Freres Gestion S.A.S. lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 10.2% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 84,700 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 7,835 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale makes up approximately 1.5% of Lazard Freres Gestion S.A.S.’s portfolio, making the stock its 21st biggest position. Lazard Freres Gestion S.A.S.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $78,400,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in COST. Birchbrook Inc. grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 2.5% during the 1st quarter. Birchbrook Inc. now owns 456 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $431,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Ridgewood Investments LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 7.4% in the 2nd quarter. Ridgewood Investments LLC now owns 159 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $157,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the period. Wagner Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 3.4% during the second quarter. Wagner Wealth Management LLC now owns 330 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $326,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 4.4% during the second quarter. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC now owns 262 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $259,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the period. Finally, Busey Bank increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 0.4% during the third quarter. Busey Bank now owns 2,651 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,454,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 0.4%

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $862.34 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a current ratio of 1.04. The stock has a market cap of $382.77 billion, a PE ratio of 46.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.17 and a beta of 1.02. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $896.34 and a two-hundred day moving average of $935.81. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,078.23.

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

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 31st were paid a dividend of $1.30 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, October 31st. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is presently 27.85%.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Recent quarter: Costco beat consensus EPS and revenue (EPS $4.34 vs. $4.27; revenue $67.31B) and showed mid‑single digit revenue growth, reinforcing the company’s resilient membership model and steady cash flow. MarketBeat – COST data & earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Expansion: Costco is moving to open two new Ontario locations — continued warehouse growth supports long‑term revenue and membership fee expansion. Costco takes steps to open two new locations in Ontario
• Positive Sentiment: Promotions & merch: Membership promotions and ongoing new product assortments can help recruit/retain members and boost near‑term cash flow and traffic. Score a $40 Digital Costco Shop Card with a $65 Gold Star Membership
• Positive Sentiment: Stock‑split chatter: Commentary naming COST as a potential stock‑split candidate can attract retail interest and short‑term demand if expectations build. These Are The 3 Stock Split Candidates Heading Into 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Consumer/PR pieces (hours, shopping lists, retrospective returns) keep brand visibility high but are not immediate catalysts for the stock. Examples include New Year’s hours and lifestyle articles. Is Costco open or closed on New Year’s Day 2026? Must-Try Costco New Arrivals For January 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Macro/positioning pieces label Costco as a premium defensive name — useful for long‑term allocation but not an immediate price driver. Are These 3 Leading Defensive Stocks Too Crowded Heading Into 2026?
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: EVP Javier Polit sold roughly 2,600 shares across late‑December transactions (~$862–$867 avg), materially reducing his position. Repeated/large insider sales can sap sentiment by signaling personal liquidity taking rather than conviction. SEC Form 4 – Javier Polit
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation pressure: COST trades at elevated multiples (P/E ~46), leaving limited margin for error — any slowdown vs. analyst expectations or macro weakness could trigger multiple compression. Market data & valuation
• Negative Sentiment: Operational risk: a recent cargo/theft incident affecting product bound for Costco is an isolated but tangible reminder of supply‑chain shrink risk and potential cost exposure. Oysters, crab and $400,000 worth of lobster meat stolen in New England

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,700 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $935.68, for a total transaction of $2,526,336.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 6,851 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,410,343.68. The trade was a 28.27% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 2,400 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $930.13, for a total value of $2,232,312.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 2,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,860,260. The trade was a 54.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 8,946 shares of company stock worth $8,175,048. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

COST has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,218.00 to $1,171.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, December 12th. Citigroup decreased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,065.00 to $990.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, September 29th. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Telsey Advisory Group reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $1,100.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, December 12th. Finally, DA Davidson reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, December 4th. Nineteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $992.08.

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.