Victory Capital Management Inc. Has $321.88 Million Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Posted by Caroline Horne on Mar 3rd, 2026

Victory Capital Management Inc. lessened its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST – Free Report) by 0.7% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 347,745 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 2,313 shares during the period. Victory Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $321,884,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.7% in the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 43,356,271 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $42,920,107,000 after acquiring an additional 711,560 shares during the period. State Street Corp grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.5% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 18,325,416 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $18,141,062,000 after purchasing an additional 90,107 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.5% during the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 10,275,056 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $10,124,263,000 after purchasing an additional 150,844 shares during the period. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the second quarter valued at approximately $5,692,035,000. Finally, Invesco Ltd. boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 9.8% in the second quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,291,557 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $4,248,384,000 after buying an additional 383,887 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of COST stock opened at $1,002.77 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $445.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 53.71, a PEG ratio of 5.11 and a beta of 1.00. The company has a current ratio of 1.04, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $951.21 and its 200-day moving average price is $934.84. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,067.08.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 EPS for the quarter, topping 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 business had revenue of $67.31 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $67.03 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $4.04 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

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 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 currently 27.85%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

COST has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Telsey Advisory Group reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $1,100.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, December 12th. Rothschild & Co Redburn lifted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 17th. Northcoast Research set a $1,100.00 target price on Costco Wholesale and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 24th. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group decreased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $947.00 to $917.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, December 16th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,016.18.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on COST

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

Positive Sentiment: Costco confirmed multiple new openings and major real-estate commitments that support continued membership and sales growth — six new locations opening in March/April and a $37M store nearing opening in New Braunfels, plus plans to anchor the large Viva White Oak development in Montgomery County (gives long-term store footprint expansion and local demand capture). Costco is opening 6 locations in March and April. See the full list $37M Costco inches closer… Costco to anchor future Viva White Oak development…
Positive Sentiment: Competitive advantages: a new pilot program appears to be luring Sam’s Club members and recent card/payment changes give Costco an edge on membership value — both strengthen market share and pricing power versus peers. A New Costco Pilot Program Is Poaching Sam’s Club Customers Costco credit card change gives it a $1,000 edge on Sam’s Club
Positive Sentiment: Analyst/market praise and coverage: Jim Cramer publicly praised Costco, and analyst pieces (Zacks, TipRanks, Barron’s previews) highlight the company’s earnings-beat history and growth narrative ahead of Q2 results — supportive for sentiment into earnings. Jim Cramer Says “I have a Special Place in My Heart for Costco” Can Costco (COST) Keep the Earnings Surprise Streak Alive?
Positive Sentiment: Productivity and tech spend: coverage notes Costco’s digital wallet, AI inventory tools and checkout speed gains improving unit productivity — helps margins and offsets labor/cost pressures. Is Costco’s Technology Spending Finally Fueling Better Productivity?
Neutral Sentiment: Tariff lawsuits: Costco is among firms suing for tariff refunds after a Supreme Court ruling — a favorable outcome could produce one-time refunds, but timing and magnitude are uncertain. Costco Tariff Lawsuits Could Reshape Costs And Cash For Members
Neutral Sentiment: Coverage & macro calendar: Bank of America initiated research coverage and many outlets flag Costco as a key name in this week’s retail earnings cadence — increases visibility but also leaves stock exposed to earnings risk. Research Coverage Started at Bank of America
Negative Sentiment: Valuation concerns: a Forbes piece argues COST is richly valued (~55x P/E on forward estimates) and suggests taking profits around the $1,000 psychological level — a narrative that can pressure momentum investors. Sell Costco Stock At $1,000?
Negative Sentiment: Broader market risk: geopolitical-driven market volatility this week is weighing on risk assets generally, which could drag Costco despite company-specific positives. Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq futures plunge…

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred 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 sale, the executive vice president directly owned 4,228 shares in the company, valued at $4,169,907.28. This represents a 16.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 owned 44,837 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $42,101,943. The trade was a 3.24% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last three months, insiders have sold 6,915 shares of company stock worth $6,317,097. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Costco Wholesale Company Profile

(Free Report)

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.