Traynor Capital Management Inc. Boosts Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Traynor Capital Management Inc. boosted its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 79.3% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 7,840 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 3,468 shares during the period. Traynor Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $7,257,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in COST. Soundwatch Capital LLC grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 635.7% in the 2nd quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC now owns 2,553 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 2,206 shares in the last quarter. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the second quarter worth about $31,000. Financial Connections Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 975.0% in the second quarter. Financial Connections Group Inc. now owns 43 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $42,000 after purchasing an additional 39 shares during the last quarter. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 72.0% in the second quarter. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC now owns 43 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $43,000 after buying an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Marquette Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 2,200.0% in the third quarter. Marquette Asset Management LLC now owns 46 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $43,000 after buying an additional 44 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Balance-sheet strength supports durability vs. retail headwinds — analysts point to Costco’s low debt, cash-rich position and rising membership fees as reasons it can outgrow sector pressures. Can Costco Outgrow Retail Headwinds? The Balance Sheet Says Yes
• Positive Sentiment: Upcoming dividend payment provides income support and may reduce near-term volatility for yield-focused holders — Costco will pay its next quarterly dividend on Feb. 13. Costco to pay dividends on February 13; Here’s how much 100 COST shares will earn
• Positive Sentiment: Momentum and bull-case coverage reinforce investor interest — multiple outlets highlight Costco as a long-term momentum/growth name and outline expansion and membership-driven revenue growth. Why Costco (COST) is a Top Momentum Stock for the Long-Term
• Positive Sentiment: High-profile endorsement: Jim Cramer publicly reiterated his favorable view, which can reassure retail investors amid volatility. Jim Cramer Says “I Want You to Stay With Costco, I Still Like It”
• Neutral Sentiment: Ancillary product initiatives (e.g., Costco selling gold bars) have produced interesting niche returns but are unlikely to move top-line materially — more of a PR/ancillary revenue positive. If you bought a gold bar from Costco in 2025, here’s your return now
• Neutral Sentiment: Ongoing bullish thinkpieces and dividend-stock roundups keep investor attention but mostly restate known long-term strengths (membership model, steady same-store sales). Can This Unstoppable Stock Join the $1 Trillion Club in 5 Years?
• Negative Sentiment: Legal headline risk: a federal lawsuit alleges Costco mislabels its $4.99 rotisserie chickens as “preservative-free” despite using additives; media coverage and analysis raise potential reputational and litigation concerns that can pressure the stock near term. Costco accused of deceiving shoppers over popular $5 rotisserie chickens
• Negative Sentiment: Follow-up coverage examining valuation impact of the rotisserie-chicken suit and possible class-action costs could amplify volatility if legal exposure expands. Costco Rotisserie Chicken Lawsuit And What It Could Mean For Valuation

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

COST has been the subject of a number of research reports. Daiwa Capital Markets decreased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $947.00 to $917.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, December 16th. Roth Mkm set a $769.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research note on Monday, December 15th. Wells Fargo & Company cut 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 report on Friday, December 19th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein increased their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,134.00 to $1,146.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, December 12th. Twenty-one 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 company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $996.00.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 1.0%

Shares of COST stock opened at $960.78 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $426.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.46, a PEG ratio of 5.81 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 1.04 and a quick ratio of 0.53. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $904.48 and its 200-day moving average price is $929.71. 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 posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.27 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $67.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $67.03 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 29.35% and a net margin of 2.96%.The business’s quarterly revenue was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $4.04 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

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

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated 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 approximately $4,169,907.28. The trade was a 16.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Susan L. Decker sold 458 shares of the 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 transaction, the director owned 8,532 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $8,148,060. This represents a 5.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 9,315 shares of company stock valued at $8,549,409. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

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.