Stock Analysis
Data Source: SEC EDGAR 13F
Updated Hourly

Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST)

4K + Investors. Track Smart Money conviction in COST. See who's accumulating, reducing, or initiating positions.

Current Price
-- USD
Analyst Target
-- (0 analysts)
Upside
0.00%
Net Flow Q/Q
↑ +169
Streak
2Q ▲
Buyers last Q
54%

Smart Money Signals — COST

Based on 4230 hedge funds · latest filing: 2026 Q1 · updated quarterly

📈

Buying streak — 2 quarters in a row

last 6Q
For 2 consecutive quarters, more hedge funds added COST than sold it. That's a consistent pattern of professional buying — not a one-time trade. When institutions keep buying quarter after quarter, it usually means they see a multi-year opportunity, not just a short-term momentum flip.
🏔️

At the ownership peak (100% of max)

100% of all-time peak
4,230 hedge funds hold COST right now — the highest count in 3.0 years. When ownership is this concentrated, any bad news can trigger a chain reaction: one big fund sells, others follow. This is a classic 'crowded trade' — high popularity doesn't equal safety.
📶

Steady growth — +10% more funds vs a year ago

fund count last 6Q
+373 new funds entered over the past year (+10% YoY). Gradual, steady growth in institutional ownership is generally a healthy signal — not a speculative rush, but consistent conviction.
🟡

Slight buying edge — 54% buying

2148 buying1829 selling
Last quarter: 2,148 funds bought or added vs 1,829 that reduced or exited. It's nearly a 50/50 split — some institutions are convinced, others are taking profits. This mixed picture is normal near price highs.
⚠️

Fewer new buyers each quarter (-64 vs last Q)

new funds entering per quarter
Funds opening this position for the first time: 246 → 196 → 429 → 365. Each quarter fewer new institutions are entering. This usually means most funds that wanted in are already in — the stock is well-known but the pool of potential new buyers is shrinking.
🔒

68% of holders stayed for 2+ years

■ 68% conviction (2yr+) ■ 18% medium ■ 14% new
2,897 out of 4,230 hedge funds have held COST for over 2 years without selling. Long-term investors are generally harder to shake out during market stress, creating a stable ownership base that limits the risk of sudden capitulation.
🚀

Acceleration phase — new buyers rushing in

252 → 246 → 196 → 429 → 365 new funds/Q
New funds entering each quarter: 246 → 196 → 429 → 365. The pace of institutional discovery is accelerating sharply. This is the 'hot idea' phase — the thesis is being passed from fund to fund. You are not late — the accumulation wave is still building.
🏛️

Veteran-anchored — 69% veterans vs 17% newcomers

■ 69% veterans ■ 14% 1-2yr ■ 17% new
Entry-cohort mix of 4,334 holders: 3,006 (69%) are 2+ year veterans, 601 entered 1–2 years ago, and 727 (17%) joined within the past year. A veteran-weighted cap table skews toward institutional memory over fresh momentum.
🏆

Elite ownership — 47% AUM from top-100 funds

47% from top-100 AUM funds
67 of 4221 holders are among the 100 largest funds by AUM, controlling 47% of total institutional value in COST. When the biggest players dominate the cap table, it signifies deep institutional support — since mega-funds deploy the most rigorous due diligence and capital.
3.5
out of 10
Low Exit Risk
Exit risk score 3.5/10 — low institutional crowding. Ownership is below peak levels, holder base is relatively sticky, and buying momentum is positive.

Methodology note: these Smart Money cards use consecutive 13F disclosure snapshots, not trade-by-trade execution data. "Buying", "selling", "new holders", and "trimmed" refer to quarter-over-quarter changes in reported holders, aggregate shares, or disclosed position values between filings. They are useful for ownership regime analysis and crowding, but they do not imply exact trade timing on the filing date.

Institutional Sentiment Summary — COST

In 2026 Q1, 2148 hedge funds were net buyers of COST (365 opened a new position, 1783 added to an existing one), while 1829 reduced or exited (1633 trimmed, 196 sold completely) — a 54% buyer ratio, indicating a slight buying edge. Net buying has persisted for two consecutive quarters, a positive momentum signal. 47% of total institutional value in COST is held by top-100 AUM funds, reflecting elite-tier ownership quality. Net fund flow last quarter: +169 funds (more new holders than closures). Total institutional holders: 4230.

Hedge Fund Ownership: COST

How many hedge funds hold COST — quarterly history vs. share price
Quarterly hedge fund ownership of COST vs. share price

Market Analysis: COST

Analyst Price Targets

Avg. Price Target
--

Analyst Recommendations

Stock Performance

Real-time

Company Profile: COST

-- --

Institutional ownership data sourced from SEC EDGAR Form 13F-HR filings.

Is It Too Late to Buy Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) Based on Hedge Fund 13F Filings?

Signal Freshness measures how much COST has moved relative to its sector benchmark (XLP) since the 2026 Q1 13F filing. A stock that has barely outrun its sector is still a relatively fresh entry point — the fund's thesis has not yet been priced in by the broader market.

Since Quarter End March 31, 2026 · 74d ago
COST
-1.7%
XLP
+4.0%

COST outperformed XLP by -5.7% since March 31, 2026.

Since 13F Filing Date May 15, 2026 · 29d ago
COST
-6.7%
XLP
+0.7%

Since the filing became public, COST outperformed XLP by -7.4% .

Interpretation: The stock is tracking its sector benchmark closely. The signal remains fresh and the entry point is still near the fund's implied reference. Learn more →

Smart Money Signal ?
Strong Institutional Conviction

Multiple high-quality funds hold meaningful positions with strong conviction.

183 top-rated funds 207 high-conviction
Consensus
9.8
/ 10
breadth
×
Elite
8.9
/ 10
conviction
Hedge Fund Positioning: COST
4K + Investors

Track Smart Money conviction in COST. See who's accumulating, reducing, or initiating positions.

Metric All 13F Filers (2026 Q1) Prior (2025 Q4) Change
Funds Holding 4171 4060 2.73%
13F Shares 318M 331M -4.07%
Total Value $299.24B $273.55B 9.39%
New Positions 345 429 -84
Increased Positions 1741 1538 +203
Closed Positions 234 240 -6
Reduced Positions 1583 1622 -39
Total Calls 57 51 11.76%
Total Puts 54 49 10.2%
PUT/CALL Ratio 0.95 0.96 Neutral

Statistics: COST

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Short % of Float --

Financial Highlights

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Institutional Holders (2026 Q1)

4K + investors

Explore institutional interest and hedge fund ownership dynamics. Analyze portfolio weights, new positions, and conviction trends in COST. Verified SEC 13F-HR filings.

QUARTER:
Top 25 COST holders by conviction (% of portfolio weight) — 2026 Q1 · Source: SEC Form 13F
# Investor % of Portfolio Shares Mkt Value
1 Emerald Advisors, LLC 76.81% 622,528 $620.3M
2 Worldly Partners Management, LLC 41.96% 49,874 $49.7M
3 I.G.Y. Ltd 39.95% 94,326 $94.0M
4 Norman Fields, Gottscho Capital Management, LLC 18.84% 57,185 $57.0M
5 Greenbrier Partners Capital Management, LLC 17.07% 222,472 $221.7M
6 Chapman Investment Management, LLC 11.90% 14,478 $14.4M
7 Garrison Bradford & Associates Inc 11.39% 10,101 $10.1M
8 Aljian Capital Management, LLC 11.19% 54,656 $54.5M
9 Unio Capital LLC 10.92% 51,114 $50.9M
10 Capital Counsel LLC/Ny 10.11% 238,454 $237.6M
11 Conway Capital Management, INC. 10.04% 21,524 $21.4M
12 Everett Harris & Co /Ca/ 9.98% 777,695 $774.9M
13 Provident Trust Co 9.80% 470,364 $468.7M
14 Lakeside Advisors, INC. 8.64% 12,990 $12.9M
15 Luts & Greenleigh Group, INC. 8.24% 10,440 $10.4M
16 Spg Advisors LLC 8.16% 537 $535K
17 United American Securities Inc. (d/b/a UAS Asset Management) 8.12% 37,339 $37.2M
18 Sun Group Wealth Partners 8.03% 10,253 $10.2M
19 Borer Denton & Associates, Inc. 7.89% 22,208 $22.1M
20 Range Rock Capital, LLC 7.89% 3,697 $3.7M
21 Chilton Investment Co INC. 7.87% 336,645 $335.4M
22 Capital Investment Counsel, Inc 7.76% 63,595 $63.4M
23 Paragon Capital Management LLC 7.16% 14,522 $14.5M
24 Cadinha & Co LLC 7.11% 38,284 $38.1M
25 TLW Wealth Management, LLC 6.89% 11,802 $11.8M
Investor Ownership
History 		% of Portfolio Prev % Rank Conviction Avg Buy Price 13F Score™ 3Y / 7Y Sell Timing Shares Mkt Value Change Change % Source Quarter Filed

Frequently Asked Questions — Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST)

What does the Smart Money Trend signal show for COST?

Buying streak — 2 quarters in a row: For 2 consecutive quarters, more hedge funds added COST than sold it. That's a consistent pattern of professional buying — not a one-time trade. When institutions keep buying quarter after quarter, it usually means they see a multi-year opportunity, not just a short-term momentum flip.

What is the institutional breadth score for COST?

Slight buying edge — 54% buying: Last quarter: 2,148 funds bought or added vs 1,829 that reduced or exited. It's nearly a 50/50 split — some institutions are convinced, others are taking profits. This mixed picture is normal near price highs.

What is the fund quality score for COST holders?

Elite ownership — 47% AUM from top-100 funds: 67 of 4221 holders are among the 100 largest funds by AUM, controlling 47% of total institutional value in COST. When the biggest players dominate the cap table, it signifies deep institutional support — since mega-funds deploy the most rigorous due diligence and capital.

How long have hedge funds held COST?

68% of holders stayed for 2+ years: 2,897 out of 4,230 hedge funds have held COST for over 2 years without selling. Long-term investors are generally harder to shake out during market stress, creating a stable ownership base that limits the risk of sudden capitulation.

Is it too late to buy Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) following the 2026 Q1 hedge fund 13F filings?

As of today, COST has moved -6.7% since the 2026 Q1 13F filing date (May 15, 2026), compared to +0.7% for the XLP sector ETF — an outperformance of -7.4%. Since the quarter end (March 31, 2026), COST has gained -1.7% vs +4.0% for XLP. The stock is tracking its sector benchmark closely. The signal remains fresh and the entry point is still near the fund's implied reference.

Where does this institutional ownership data come from?

All holdings data is sourced from SEC Form 13F filings, which institutional investment managers with over $100 million in assets are required to submit quarterly. Data is parsed directly from SEC EDGAR.

Disclaimer: The information on this page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell any security. Institutional holdings data is sourced from SEC Form 13F filings and reflects positions as of the filing date. Past performance of any fund or portfolio is not indicative of future results. 13Foresight is not a registered investment adviser. Always conduct your own due diligence before making investment decisions.

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