23,978 Shares in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Bought by Kelly Lawrence W & Associates Inc. CA

Key Points

• Kelly Lawrence W & Associates bought 23,978 Costco shares worth approximately $22.4 million, making Costco its fourth-largest holding at 4.8% of its portfolio.
• Institutional investors own 68.48% of Costco, with several major firms—including Bank of America and Corient Private Wealth—substantially increasing their positions.
• Costco pays a quarterly dividend of $1.47, or $5.88 annually, for a 0.6% yield. Analysts maintain a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating with an average price target of $1,056.90, although the stock’s elevated valuation remains a concern.

Kelly Lawrence W & Associates Inc. CA bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 23,978 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $22,431,000. Costco Wholesale comprises approximately 4.8% of Kelly Lawrence W & Associates Inc. CA's investment portfolio, making the stock its 4th largest holding.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 10,388,519 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $8,919,573,000 after buying an additional 26,690 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% in the fourth quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 9,523,423 shares of the retailer's stock worth $8,212,433,000 after acquiring an additional 107,775 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 11.5% in the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 7,515,031 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $7,488,203,000 after acquiring an additional 773,651 shares in the last quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 99,278.0% in the first quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. now owns 6,726,899 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $672,690,000 after acquiring an additional 6,720,130 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Corient Private Wealth LLC increased its position in Costco Wholesale by 838.9% during the 4th quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 6,125,405 shares of the retailer's stock worth $5,282,182,000 after purchasing an additional 5,472,968 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth Denman sold 885 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the transaction, 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 transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

COST stock opened at $915.74 on Friday. The stock's 50 day simple moving average is $943.58 and its 200 day simple moving average is $977.75. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,096.50. The firm has a market cap of $406.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 46.06, a P/E/G ratio of 3.84 and a beta of 0.86.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

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

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have issued reports on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced 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 report on Thursday, July 9th. Guggenheim reissued a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Bank of America lifted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Finally, DA Davidson reaffirmed a "neutral" rating and set a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday. Twenty-one equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,056.90.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

Costco Wholesale Company Profile

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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

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