1,494 Shares in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Acquired by Clare Market Investments LLC

Key Points

• Clare Market Investments LLC opened a new position in Costco Wholesale, buying 1,494 shares valued at about $1.49 million in the first quarter.
• Institutional ownership in Costco remains very high at 68.48%, and several other hedge funds also reported new stakes in the retailer.
• Analysts remain broadly positive on Costco, with a consensus rating of Moderate Buy; meanwhile, the company recently raised its quarterly dividend from $1.30 to $1.47 per share.

Clare Market Investments LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor bought 1,494 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $1,489,000.

A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $31,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $33,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Daiwa Securities Group boosted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 10th. UBS Group upped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 20th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,110.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday, April 17th. Weiss Ratings lowered Costco Wholesale from a "buy (b)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 23rd. Finally, Bank of America upped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,061.45.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total value of $847,343.25. Following the sale, the director owned 4,779 shares of the company's stock, valued at $4,575,653.55. This trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market writers continue to highlight Costco as a resilient, long-term compounder with strong membership loyalty, steady cash generation, and a durable business model that can hold up well in a weaker consumer environment. Is Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) a Durable Long-Term Compounder?
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is being viewed as a beneficiary of investors’ preference for defensive, high-quality retail names, with articles pointing to its resilience during economic uncertainty and strong appeal as a reliable consumer staple-like retailer. Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) Benefits from Investors’ Focus on Resilient Businesses
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is expanding its retail media efforts through Google Commerce Media and YouTube, which could create a new higher-margin revenue stream if member engagement keeps growing. Can Costco Stock Build a Meaningful Retail Media Business?
• Neutral Sentiment: Several pieces compare Costco with Walmart and discuss which retailer is the better buy, but these are mostly valuation and business-model debates rather than new company-specific catalysts. Costco vs Walmart: What's the Better Retail Stock to Buy Right Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: Consumer-focused headlines about Costco’s food court items, milk pricing, and broader retail resilience are more about shopper behavior and brand interest than a direct earnings driver. Are Costco's famous food court franks available for bulk purchase?
• Negative Sentiment: One article argues Costco lacks the same valuation appeal as another preferred stock pick, which underscores investor concerns that COST may already be priced for perfection. When I Try to Imagine the Best Investment Opportunity for the Next 10 Years, Costco Stock Just Doesn't Make the Cut. That's Why I Keep Coming Back to This Stock.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

COST stock opened at $961.05 on Tuesday. The firm's fifty day moving average is $990.38 and its 200 day moving average is $973.36. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,096.50. The firm has a market cap of $426.20 billion, a P/E ratio of 48.44, a P/E/G ratio of 4.61 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 (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.94 by ($0.01). Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.The company had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $4.28 EPS. Research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st were issued a $1.47 dividend. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 29.58%.

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.

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