J. Safra Sarasin Holding AG Sells 759 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

J. Safra Sarasin Holding AG decreased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 1.6% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 47,948 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 759 shares during the quarter. J. Safra Sarasin Holding AG’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $44,356,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Investment Advisory Group LLC increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 3.3% in the 3rd quarter. Investment Advisory Group LLC now owns 440 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $407,000 after buying an additional 14 shares during the period. Marino Stram & Associates LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $601,000. Barlow Wealth Partners Inc. boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.2% during the 3rd quarter. Barlow Wealth Partners Inc. now owns 34,452 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $32,546,000 after acquiring an additional 740 shares in the last quarter. CCG Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 3.0% in the third quarter. CCG Wealth Management LLC now owns 821 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $760,000 after acquiring an additional 24 shares during the last quarter. Finally, CFM Wealth Partners LLC raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 2.3% during the third quarter. CFM Wealth Partners LLC now owns 12,436 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $11,511,000 after purchasing an additional 285 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the stock in a transaction 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 completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 4,228 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,169,907.28. This represents a 16.74% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction on Friday, January 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $916.32, for a total transaction of $1,374,480.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 8,240 shares in the company, valued at $7,550,476.80. This represents a 15.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 9,315 shares of company stock valued at $8,549,409. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ COST opened at $977.67 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $433.96 billion, a P/E ratio of 52.37, a PEG ratio of 5.89 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $901.58 and a 200 day simple moving average of $929.49. The company has a current ratio of 1.04, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,078.23.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.27 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $67.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $67.03 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.96% and a return on equity of 29.35%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $4.04 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 30th will be issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is currently 27.85%.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley named Costco a top pick heading into earnings, providing an institutional vote of confidence that can attract buyers ahead of results. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Wolfe Research flagged tax‑refund tailwinds as a potential sales accelerator for Costco, a near‑term macro tailwind for membership and discretionary buying. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Market commentary highlights strong YTD performance and momentum in 2026, which supports higher multiple expansion and continued investor interest. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst and trade‑idea pieces argue for higher intrinsic value (articles suggesting >$1,038) and discuss option strategies after the recent rebound, which can draw tactical interest. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks highlights Costco as a strong growth stock across style scores, reinforcing buy‑side research narratives. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Consumer features — tips for budget shopping at Costco — help reinforce brand engagement but are unlikely to move the stock materially. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Articles on buying gold at Costco and product roundups (Shark Tank items, bulk deals, membership perks) increase consumer awareness but have limited direct near‑term impact on shares. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Costco is facing a class‑action lawsuit alleging false “no preservatives” claims on its Kirkland rotisserie chicken — potential reputational and legal risk that could pressure sentiment. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: An EVP sold roughly $838k of stock, which investors often view as a modest negative signal on insider conviction (timing and context matter). Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Bearish scenario pieces that model a fall to $700 (speculative) can amplify downside narratives if macro or same‑store trends deteriorate. Article Title

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. BTIG Research began coverage on Costco Wholesale in a report on Tuesday, October 14th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $1,115.00 target price on the stock. Telsey Advisory Group restated an “outperform” rating and set a $1,100.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $900.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 19th. Citigroup dropped their price objective on shares of 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. Finally, UBS Group restated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Twenty-one 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.com, Costco Wholesale currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $996.00.

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.