Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Stock Position Reduced by Sigma Planning Corp

Sigma Planning Corp lessened its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 6.8% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 14,668 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 1,062 shares during the period. Sigma Planning Corp’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $13,371,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in COST. Contravisory Investment Management Inc. increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 107.7% during the third quarter. Contravisory Investment Management Inc. now owns 27 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 14 shares during the last quarter. C M Bidwell & Associates Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Burk Holdings LLC purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $30,000. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Finally, Bullseye Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter valued at $35,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $1,005.16 on Tuesday. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $938.87 and its 200-day simple moving average is $968.09. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,096.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11. The firm has a market cap of $445.42 billion, a PE ratio of 48.42, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.29 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, September 24th. The retailer reported $6.75 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.54 by $0.21. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 27.60% and a net margin of 3.04%. The business had revenue of $95.72 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $94.97 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $5.87 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 11.1% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 22.70 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 30th will be issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, October 30th. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is 28.32%.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: AI-driven shopping could support e-commerce growth. Costco is seeing triple-digit increases in traffic and sales originating from AI-powered search, with strong conversion rates. Although the channel remains small, broader adoption could provide a new source of online customer acquisition. Costco’s AI Search Traffic Soars: Can It Fuel Online Sales?
• Positive Sentiment: Health-services expansion may improve member retention. New pharmacy and health offerings, including expanded GLP-1 and fertility-related options and mobile payment capabilities, could make memberships more valuable and encourage renewals. Costco expands a key health offering
• Positive Sentiment: Warehouse growth remains a long-term sales catalyst. Costco is preparing to open a 152,000-square-foot location after delays and reportedly plans 33 new warehouses in 2027, supporting future membership and revenue growth. Costco is finally opening a massive warehouse Costco is opening 33 new warehouses in 2027
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data provides no meaningful bearish signal. The report lists zero shares sold short and a zero-day short-interest ratio, suggesting limited measurable short-selling pressure, although the data appears inconsistent with the description of a “significant increase.”
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation remains the primary risk. An investor analysis argues that COST is overvalued despite its durable business model and strong long-term performance. At its elevated earnings multiple, the stock may require continued strong growth to justify further gains. Costco valuation and 10-year outlook

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,200 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $915.93, for a total transaction of $2,015,046.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 7,134 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,534,244.62. This trade represents a 23.57% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 1,100 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $958.21, for a total value of $1,054,031.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 3,094 shares in the company, valued at $2,964,701.74. This represents a 26.23% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

COST has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued a “sector perform” rating and set a $1,000.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, October 9th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $950.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, September 25th. Sanford C. Bernstein lowered their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,144.00 to $1,143.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Oppenheimer restated an “outperform” rating and set a $1,160.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Wednesday, September 16th. Finally, UBS Group restated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, September 17th. Twenty-five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,086.19.

Costco Wholesale Profile

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a membership-based warehouse retail business under the Costco name. The company sells merchandise in bulk and at competitive prices through warehouse clubs and e-commerce platforms, serving individual consumers, businesses and other organizations.

Its product selection includes groceries and fresh foods, household supplies, appliances, electronics, furniture, apparel, health and beauty products, jewelry, automotive products and prescription drugs. Costco also provides services such as optical care, pharmacy services, hearing-aid sales, travel offerings and fuel sales, depending on location.

The company traces its roots to Price Club, which opened in San Diego in 1976.