Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Bought by Nikulski Financial Inc.

Nikulski Financial Inc. grew its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 8.7% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 13,824 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 1,111 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale accounts for approximately 2.9% of Nikulski Financial Inc.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 7th biggest position. Nikulski Financial Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $11,921,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of COST. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 12.3% during the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 19,825 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $18,165,000 after purchasing an additional 2,172 shares in the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 13.1% in the fourth quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,123 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,029,000 after buying an additional 130 shares during the period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 4.5% in the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 3,853 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,814,000 after buying an additional 165 shares during the period. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.1% in the 2nd quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. now owns 2,110 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,089,000 after buying an additional 23 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Schnieders Capital Management LLC. boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 2.2% during the 2nd quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 8,502 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $8,416,000 after buying an additional 182 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Jim Cramer reiterated Costco as a defensive, buy‑in‑this‑environment pick, which can support retail investor demand and sentiment. Jim Cramer on Costco: “This One Is What You Buy in This Environment”
• Positive Sentiment: Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and a $1,125 price target, implying meaningful upside from current levels and giving institutional/quant models a constructive signal. Telsey Advisory Group Outperform Note
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is rolling out its first stand‑alone gas station and continues to use discounted fuel as a membership and traffic driver — high pump prices can actually bolster membership growth and in‑store sales. This is a potential revenue/traffic tailwind. Costco Will Soon Open Its First Stand-Alone Gas Station
• Positive Sentiment: Operational and footprint expansion: Costco is testing faster checkout tech and planning new warehouses and business‑centre openings (including Canada), which support long‑term traffic and membership retention. Costco’s Warehouse Expansion Plans Signal Long-Term Growth Engine
• Neutral Sentiment: Technical/market notes (Dow Jones/IBD) flag Costco approaching new buy points after recent rallies — useful for traders but not a fundamental change. Dow Jones: Merck, Costco Approach New Buy Points
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts are split on near‑term sales and valuation — March sales are expected to rise YOY but forward multiples remain rich, keeping analyst opinions mixed. Costco March Sales to Climb, But Analysts Stay Split on COST Stock
• Negative Sentiment: Legal/consumer risk: Costco faces a lawsuit alleging it raised prices then sought tariff refunds, a story that could generate regulatory/legal costs or reputational hit if it escalates. Costco sued over claims it raised prices, then sought tariff refunds
• Negative Sentiment: Minor consumer PR issue: a viral complaint about an “overpriced” new dessert feeds short‑term negative chatter among members, though it’s unlikely to materially affect fundamentals. Costco Members Are FURIOUS About This ‘Overpriced’ New Dessert

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Susan L. Decker sold 458 shares of the firm’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 transaction of $437,390.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 8,532 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $8,148,060. This trade represents a 5.09% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $939.00, for a total transaction of $1,408,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 44,837 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $42,101,943. This represents a 3.24% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last three months, insiders sold 5,038 shares of company stock worth $4,790,896. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on COST shares. BTIG Research reissued a “buy” rating and set a $1,115.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $900.00 to $950.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. HSBC cut their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,045.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, December 12th. The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,171.00 to $1,088.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Evercore set a $1,100.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,039.13.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

COST stock opened at $996.43 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $442.07 billion, a PE ratio of 51.82, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.92 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $988.00 and a 200-day moving average price of $939.28. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,067.08.

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

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

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

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.