Whalen Wealth Management Inc. Takes Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

05 Sep 2026, 04:35 by Teresa Graham · The Cerbat Gem

Whalen Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST – Free Report) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund purchased 1,829 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $1,711,000.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the business. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at about $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. C M Bidwell & Associates Ltd. bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the second quarter worth about $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Finally, Burk Holdings LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

COST has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Royal Bank Of Canada began coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, July 13th. They set a “sector perform” rating and a $1,000.00 price objective for the company. Guggenheim restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. BTIG Research restated a “buy” rating and issued a $1,125.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,110.00 to $1,100.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, July 9th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein set a $1,144.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday. Twenty-one research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,056.90.

Read Our Latest Report on Costco Wholesale

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ COST opened at $915.74 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $406.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.06, a PEG ratio of 3.84 and a beta of 0.86. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,096.50. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $943.58 and a 200 day simple moving average of $977.75.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Investors of record on Friday, July 24th were issued a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is presently 29.58%.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

Positive Sentiment: Strong August sales: Net sales increased 9.9% year over year, with comparable sales rising across regions and digitally enabled sales advancing 17.9%. The figures point to resilient member demand and continued e-commerce momentum. Costco’s August Sales Rise 9.9% as Digital Growth Stays Strong
Positive Sentiment: Analyst support remains broad: BTIG reiterated a Buy rating with a $1,125 target, while Bank of America maintained its Buy rating and $1,200 target. Analysts cited resilient core performance, market-share gains, and higher earnings estimates. BTIG Reaffirms Buy on Costco
Positive Sentiment: Long-term shareholder appeal: Commentary highlighted Costco’s consistent dividend growth since 2004, membership model, customer loyalty, and potential for continued earnings expansion.
Neutral Sentiment: Store expansion: Costco is reportedly considering a new location in Thompson’s Station, Tennessee, supporting its long-term warehouse growth strategy, although the potential site has no immediate earnings impact.
Neutral Sentiment: Mixed analyst valuation signals: DA Davidson reaffirmed a Neutral rating with a $1,000 target, while Bernstein retained a Buy rating but lowered its target to $1,144, indicating less room for upside despite confidence in the business.
Negative Sentiment: Valuation concerns: Jim Cramer and other commentators argued that COST trades at roughly 43–49 times earnings, leaving the stock vulnerable if growth slows or results merely meet expectations. Cramer Says Costco at 49 Times Earnings Is the Mistake Loyal Shoppers Keep Making
Negative Sentiment: Regulatory risk: The Department of Justice expanded a beef-pricing antitrust inquiry to Costco, seeking information on prices, costs, margins, purchasing, and supply-chain practices. Potential compliance costs or scrutiny could pressure sentiment. US DOJ Widens Beef Price Inquiry
Negative Sentiment: Costco Next shutdown: The company’s online marketplace reportedly went offline without notice, raising questions about its digital strategy, although the platform is not viewed as central to Costco’s core business. Costco Next Online Marketplace Shut Down

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth Denman sold 885 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the sale, the director owned 4,779 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. This represents a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Costco Wholesale Company Profile

(Free Report)

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.