Shell Asset Management Co. Has $7.96 Million Stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Shell Asset Management Co. reduced its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 77.9% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 8,600 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 30,239 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale accounts for about 0.8% of Shell Asset Management Co.’s portfolio, making the stock its 15th largest holding. Shell Asset Management Co.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $7,960,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Soundwatch Capital LLC raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 635.7% during the second quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC now owns 2,553 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 2,206 shares in the last quarter. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $31,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $34,000. Collier Financial acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst price-target upgrades: Bernstein raised its target (to ~$1,155) and Evercore ISI lifted its target to $1,050, keeping upbeat ratings that support upside expectations. Bernstein Boosts COST Target
• Positive Sentiment: Europe expansion: Costco is piloting e‑commerce delivery in Europe, a meaningful new addressable market that could drive long‑term top‑line growth if scaled. Costco Tests European E Commerce Delivery
• Positive Sentiment: Membership & promotions: Ongoing member promotions (e.g., digital shop-card offers) and strong member perks sustain renewal rates and engagement. Get a $20 Digital Costco Shop Card
• Positive Sentiment: Momentum and growth narratives: Multiple Zacks pieces highlight Costco as a momentum/top‑growth stock, supporting investor sentiment around durable comp and digital trends. Here’s Why Costco is a Strong Momentum Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data appears erroneous (reports show 0 shares / NaN changes and a 0.0 days-to-cover ratio); not meaningful as reported and unlikely to explain price moves.
• Neutral Sentiment: Corporate culture/dei: Fortune reports Costco maintained DEI programs while some peers cut back—this may support talent/brand but is not an immediate earnings driver. Costco defied Trump’s DEI directive
• Neutral Sentiment: Customer coverage pieces (both positive “in awe” stories and critiques of recent changes) reflect mixed consumer sentiment—useful for brand monitoring but limited near-term impact. 10 Costco Changes That Made Customers Angry
• Negative Sentiment: Product recall: A recall of mini beignets for undeclared hazelnuts affects operations and could create modest near‑term costs or reputational noise. Costco recalls mini beignets
• Negative Sentiment: Tariff/legal risk: The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear challenges to former‑administration tariffs (Feb. 20); an adverse ruling or delayed refunds could hurt retailer margins or cash recoveries. President Trump’s Tariffs To Face Feb.20 Supreme Court Hearing

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

COST has been the topic of several analyst reports. Hovde Group started coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Tuesday, November 18th. They set a “market perform” rating and a $16.00 price target on the stock. DA Davidson reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $1,000.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, February 5th. TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Finally, UBS Group reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,009.00.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $1,018.48 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,077.49. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $922.96 and its 200-day moving average is $932.51. 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 company has a market capitalization of $452.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 54.55, a PEG ratio of 5.37 and a beta of 1.01.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.27 by $0.07. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 29.35% and a net margin of 2.96%.The business had revenue of $67.31 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $67.03 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $4.04 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Friday, January 30th were paid a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 30th. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.5%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is 27.85%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Javier Polit sold 2,049 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $867.21, for a total value of $1,776,913.29. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 10,748 shares in the company, valued at $9,320,773.08. The trade was a 16.01% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred 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 owned 8,240 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,550,476.80. The trade was a 15.40% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 6,915 shares of company stock valued at $6,317,097 in the last quarter. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale 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.