Janus Henderson Group PLC Increases Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Posted by Brenda Bartman on Jul 31st, 2026

Janus Henderson Group PLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST – Free Report) by 0.7% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 388,793 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 2,630 shares during the period. Janus Henderson Group PLC owned approximately 0.09% of Costco Wholesale worth $387,400,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. World Investment Advisors grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 8.4% in the 4th quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 20,081 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $15,835,000 after buying an additional 1,560 shares during the last quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 24.5% during the 4th quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 140,429 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $121,098,000 after acquiring an additional 27,625 shares during the last quarter. Curtis Advisory Group LLC lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 56.7% during the 4th quarter. Curtis Advisory Group LLC now owns 4,535 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $3,911,000 after acquiring an additional 1,641 shares during the last quarter. Perryman Financial Advisory Inc. AD bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at about $9,300,000. Finally, Oak Ridge Investments LLC boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 7.3% during the fourth quarter. Oak Ridge Investments LLC now owns 22,117 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $19,072,000 after acquiring an additional 1,496 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on COST shares. DA Davidson reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, June 4th. TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating and set a $1,175.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Wednesday, June 3rd. Guggenheim reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. Telsey Advisory Group lifted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,110.00 to $1,100.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 9th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,059.07.

Get Our Latest Report on COST

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was 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 trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

Positive Sentiment: Costco is reportedly testing a new gasoline-sales strategy that could expand fuel-related revenue and potentially make gas stations a more meaningful contributor to the company’s business model. The long-term opportunity could support investor interest if the experiment improves traffic, margins, or membership economics. Costco: A New Experiment With Gasoline Sales Could Fundamentally Transform The Company
Positive Sentiment: Costco continues to receive favorable momentum coverage, supported by its loyal membership base, resilient sales, and long-term earnings and dividend-growth record. A new hydration-product partnership with Coco5 also gives the retailer another branded product aimed at health-conscious shoppers. Here’s Why Costco Is a Strong Momentum Stock
Neutral Sentiment: The Federal Reserve held interest rates at 3.5%-3.75%. Stable rates avoid an immediate financing shock, but elevated borrowing costs can limit consumer spending and keep pressure on richly valued retail stocks. Costco’s valuation remains demanding, with a reported forward earnings multiple near 48 and a PEG ratio above 4.
Neutral Sentiment: Recent comparisons with Walmart frame Costco as a high-quality retailer with strong customer loyalty and digital growth, but investors must balance those strengths against its higher valuation and expectations for continued execution.
Negative Sentiment: Costco agreed to a $14 million settlement involving allegations that promotional emails sent to Washington shoppers used misleading expiration language. Costco denies wrongdoing, but the settlement may create reputational and compliance concerns. Costco’s $14 Million Email Settlement
Negative Sentiment: An animal-welfare investigation alleging severe mistreatment and biosecurity failures at an organic chicken supplier linked to Costco could increase scrutiny of the company’s supply-chain oversight and create potential legal or reputational costs.
Negative Sentiment: Costco’s reported quarterly earnings slightly missed consensus estimates, despite revenue exceeding expectations. Combined with its elevated valuation, even modest earnings disappointments can weigh on the stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ:COST opened at $955.17 on Friday. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $956.95 and its 200-day moving average is $982.32. The company has a market cap of $423.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.05, a PEG ratio of 4.71 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.07. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST – Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.94 by ($0.01). Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. The company had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $4.28 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th will be given a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 29.58%.

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.