Silphium Asset Management Ltd Sells 3,121 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Silphium Asset Management Ltd trimmed its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 57.9% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 2,268 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 3,121 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale comprises about 0.8% of Silphium Asset Management Ltd’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 22nd biggest holding. Silphium Asset Management Ltd’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $1,956,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of COST. Hurley Capital LLC grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at about $34,000. Collier Financial purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at about $35,000. AXS Investments LLC purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at about $36,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at about $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total transaction of $838,321.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 4,228 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,169,907.28. This trade represents a 16.74% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts recently commented on the stock. Telsey Advisory Group increased their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Gordon Haskett increased their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Truist Financial increased their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $926.00 to $977.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. The Goldman Sachs Group cut 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 report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, UBS Group set a $1,175.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,045.97.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst price-target hike to $1,110 signals stronger upside expectations from sell‑side coverage; this upgrade is a direct catalyst supporting the stock’s gain. Price Target Raised to $1,110.00
• Positive Sentiment: Earlier analyst upgrade drove a ~1.3% intraday lift, showing market sensitivity to analyst sentiment and the potential for further momentum on positive coverage. Stock Price Up 1.3% on Analyst Upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage from TheStreet and UBS emphasizes Costco’s competitive edge (treasure‑hunt merchandising, value proposition) versus Walmart/Target — supports the narrative of durable membership-driven sales and pricing power. Costco’s key edge sets it apart
• Positive Sentiment: Price-competition evidence: a shopper comparison found Costco meaningfully cheaper than Walmart on a basket of items — reinforces Costco’s value proposition and membership retention thesis. Shopper compared 32 items at Walmart and Costco
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple Motley Fool pieces include Costco among defensive, long‑haul consumer stocks — supports risk‑off investor demand and buy‑and‑hold narratives. The Market Is Shaky, But These 2 Stocks Are Built for the Long Haul
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation debate: several writeups question whether COST is priced for perfection at roughly $1,000/share — useful for investors weighing continued upside vs limited margin for disappointment. Assessing Whether Costco Looks Overvalued
• Neutral Sentiment: “Still a Buy or Time to Wait?” pieces highlight strong execution but note the stock may be priced for perfection — balanced commentary for investors deciding entry points. Costco at $1,000: Still a Buy or Time to Wait?
• Neutral Sentiment: Consumer / product stories (laundry cart tip, bakery changes, product updates) drive foot traffic and member experience but are unlikely to move the stock materially on their own. Why You Should Be Bringing Costco’s Laundry Cart
• Negative Sentiment: Minor institutional trimming: Baskin Financial sold 617 shares (small position reduction) — not a major red flag but worth noting as part of 13F activity. Baskin Financial Services Inc. Sells 617 Shares

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $999.89 on Monday. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $995.74 and its 200-day moving average price is $945.03. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The company has a market cap of $443.60 billion, a PE ratio of 52.00, a PEG ratio of 4.93 and a beta of 0.99. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,067.08.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $4.02 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st will be issued a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 1st. 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 dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is 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.