Clear Street Group Inc. Takes Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Clear Street Group Inc. acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 7,480 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $6,924,000.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in COST. Soundwatch Capital LLC increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 635.7% in the second quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC now owns 2,553 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 2,206 shares during the last quarter. Hurley Capital LLC raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $34,000. Collier Financial acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at $36,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages recently commented on COST. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $1,115.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Raymond James Financial lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $1,155.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, February 9th. Finally, Northcoast Research set a $1,100.00 target price on Costco Wholesale and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 24th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,039.13.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 0.5%

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $1,008.43 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,067.08. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 1.06. The company has a market capitalization of $447.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 52.44, a PEG ratio of 5.10 and a beta of 1.01. The company’s fifty day moving average is $975.52 and its two-hundred day moving average is $937.14.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The business had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $68.96 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $4.02 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

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

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total value of $732,204.60. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This trade represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Susan L. Decker sold 458 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $955.00, for a total value of $437,390.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 8,532 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,148,060. The trade was a 5.09% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 7,645 shares of company stock worth $7,049,302 in the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 beat and membership strength: Costco reported stronger-than-expected FQ2 results (revenue and EPS beats) and management highlighted membership growth and traffic as key drivers, underpinning confidence in recurring fee income and sales momentum. Costco Reports $68.24B FQ2 Sales
• Positive Sentiment: Membership mix and premium sign‑ups: Executive membership growth (near 40M members, +~9%) supports higher-margin recurring fee income and may sustain revenue per member. This is a structural tailwind for margins and cash flow. Is a $130 Costco executive membership the new VIP status?
• Positive Sentiment: In‑warehouse innovation and product drops: Expanded in‑warehouse experiences, curated product drops (e.g., fashion/brand collaborations) and new assortments (including third‑party brands like Hiboy e‑bikes) are helping traffic and impulse sales. Costco Expands In‑Warehouse Experiences Hiboy C1 E‑Bike Lands at Costco
• Neutral Sentiment: Digital growth and traffic resilience: Management says digital sales and e‑commerce expansion remain contributors to growth, but macro headwinds (e.g., energy-driven pressure on discretionary budgets) add uncertainty to near‑term sales cadence. Costco Says Shoppers Are Still Spending Rising gas prices could offset tax refunds
• Neutral Sentiment: Insider sale: An EVP disclosed a sale of ~730 shares; the size is immaterial relative to Costco’s market cap and does not signal a clear change in insider confidence. Executive Form 4
• Negative Sentiment: Tariff‑refund lawsuits create legal overhang: Multiple proposed class‑action suits allege Costco must pass along refunds to customers after the Supreme Court struck down certain Trump‑era tariffs; plaintiffs seek substantial recoveries and class status, introducing potential liability, administrative burden and PR risk until resolved. Reuters: Costco customers sue
• Negative Sentiment: Complex legal landscape: Coverage notes the situation is “messy” — Costco has also pursued government action to recover tariff amounts, but parallel suits against the company could keep volatility and headline risk elevated until legal outcomes and any government refunds are clarified. Barron’s: Tariff refunds are getting messy

About Costco Wholesale

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.