Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors LLC Grows Stock Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 65.0% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 3,896 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 1,535 shares during the period. Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $3,360,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of COST. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1,586.8% in the fourth quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 1,137,436 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $980,857,000 after buying an additional 1,070,005 shares during the period. Amundi increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 45.0% in the third quarter. Amundi now owns 3,176,606 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,893,697,000 after buying an additional 986,182 shares during the period. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 182.4% in the fourth quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 536,059 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $462,265,000 after buying an additional 346,208 shares during the period. Voloridge Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 112.2% in the third quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC now owns 477,425 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $441,919,000 after buying an additional 252,453 shares during the period. Finally, PFA Pension Forsikringsaktieselskab purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth about $213,362,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

COST stock opened at $1,003.69 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $445.29 billion, a PE ratio of 52.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.93 and a beta of 0.92. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,096.50. 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’s 50 day simple moving average is $1,008.29 and its 200 day simple moving average is $962.02.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced 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. The business had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $4.02 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.33 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st were paid a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 30.58%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

COST has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Citigroup reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price objective on 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. Weiss Ratings raised Costco Wholesale from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 17th. Finally, Oppenheimer boosted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 19th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,052.60.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly 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 sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

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.