Leeward Financial Partners LLC Grows Stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Leeward Financial Partners LLC raised its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 17.7% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 10,017 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 1,503 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale comprises approximately 2.4% of Leeward Financial Partners LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 13th largest position. Leeward Financial Partners LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $8,638,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Hurley Capital LLC grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. Joseph Group Capital Management purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth about $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth about $34,000. Finally, Collier Financial bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at about $35,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and media coverage remain constructive, with multiple firms reiterating bullish views and price targets implying upside if Costco delivers another solid quarter. Analyst Reaffirms Buy on Costco, Sees Attractive Upside with Unchanged $1,185 Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Pre-earnings commentary highlights strong monthly sales, membership growth, e-commerce gains, and higher gas prices potentially boosting traffic and top-line momentum. Costco Heads into Earnings with Monthly Sales Already Doing the Heavy Lifting
• Positive Sentiment: Some analysts are calling Costco a top defensive consumer stock, reinforcing its reputation as a steady performer in uncertain markets. Bernstein Calls Costco (COST) a Top Defensive Consumer Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple previews note that investors are largely waiting for Thursday’s earnings report to reset expectations, with the stock seen as capable of moving sharply depending on guidance and margin commentary. Here’s How Much Costco Stock Is Expected to Move After Earnings Q3 FY2026
• Neutral Sentiment: There was also a separate headline about an optical-services scheduling issue and a grapevine pest concern involving Costco-sold plants, but these appear limited in scope and are less likely to affect the broader investment thesis. Costco optical customers face frustration trying to schedule eye exams
• Negative Sentiment: Pre-earnings caution and valuation pressure are weighing on the shares, with some market watchers saying it may be prudent to wait for results rather than chase the stock now. Costco Q3 Preview: Stock Could Hit $1,200 Or Fall To $960, Market Expert Says ‘Prudent To Wait This One Out’
• Negative Sentiment: A federal jury verdict in a disability discrimination case raised legal and compliance concerns, creating a modest overhang ahead of earnings. Costco Discrimination Verdict Puts Legal And Compliance Risks In Focus

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 0.1%

COST stock opened at $1,003.69 on Thursday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,096.50. The business’s 50-day moving average is $1,008.29 and its two-hundred day moving average is $962.02. 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 cap of $445.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.19, a P/E/G ratio of 4.93 and a beta of 0.92.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates 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 the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $4.02 earnings per share. Costco Wholesale’s revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.33 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st were issued a $1.47 dividend. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is currently 30.58%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the stock in a transaction dated 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 owned 6,121 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

COST has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Oppenheimer upped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 19th. Rothschild & Co Redburn increased their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Daiwa Securities Group increased their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 10th. UBS Group increased their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 20th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,052.60.

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.