3,705 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Purchased by Polaris Financial Partners

Key Points

• Polaris Financial Partners purchased 3,705 Costco shares worth approximately $3.4 million in the third quarter, making Costco 1.6% of its portfolio. Institutional investors collectively own 68.48% of Costco’s outstanding stock.
• Analyst sentiment remains favorable but mixed: Costco has a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating from 33 analysts, with a consensus price target of $1,046.27. Recent actions included target-price reductions from Wells Fargo and Deutsche Bank, alongside an upgrade from HSBC.
• Costco exceeded quarterly expectations with $6.75 in EPS and $95.72 billion in revenue, while sales rose 11.1% year over year. The company also maintains a quarterly dividend of $1.47 per share, equivalent to a 0.6% yield.

Polaris Financial Partners purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund purchased 3,705 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $3,408,000. Costco Wholesale makes up 1.6% of Polaris Financial Partners' investment portfolio, making the stock its 16th largest holding.

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the business. C M Bidwell & Associates Ltd. acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 2nd quarter valued at $28,000. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at $27,000. Burk Holdings LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the second quarter valued at about $30,000. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the second quarter worth about $30,000. Finally, Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Guggenheim reaffirmed a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday. Weiss Ratings lowered Costco Wholesale from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $950.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a report on Friday, September 25th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,091.00 to $1,079.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday. Finally, HSBC upgraded Costco Wholesale to a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,046.27.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 0.6%

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock traded up $5.71 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $920.65. The company's stock had a trading volume of 2,018,948 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,201,015. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,096.50. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $933.05 and a 200-day moving average of $965.29. The stock has a market cap of $408.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 44.35, a P/E/G ratio of 3.89 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 1.06.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, September 24th. The retailer reported $6.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $6.54 by $0.21. The firm had revenue of $95.72 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $94.97 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 27.60% and a net margin of 3.04%.The company's quarterly revenue was up 11.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $5.87 EPS. Research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 22.86 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th were given a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date was 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 28.32%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,200 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $915.93, for a total value of $2,015,046.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 7,134 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,534,244.62. The trade was a 23.57% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s gasoline, pharmacy, travel and other ancillary businesses are increasing customer engagement and expanding its share of members’ wallets. These services may support recurring revenue, traffic and margins beyond merchandise sales. Costco's Ancillary Businesses Expand Share-of-Wallet Opportunity
• Positive Sentiment: Costco continues to pressure traditional grocers through competitive pricing, fresh-food offerings, e-commerce and strong value perception. Growing market share could help sustain sales and membership growth. Has Costco Become Grocery’s Biggest Threat?
• Positive Sentiment: Costco and SCAN Health Plan launched the company’s first Medicare Advantage plans in California and Nevada. The initiative adds another potential member benefit and could create a new avenue for customer engagement, although its financial contribution is not yet clear. SCAN and Costco Launch Medicare Advantage Plans
• Positive Sentiment: New and converted Business Center locations, including projects in Texas and Kansas City, should expand Costco’s commercial customer base and warehouse footprint over time. Costco Business Center Expansion
• Neutral Sentiment: Higher fuel prices contributed roughly three percentage points to fiscal fourth-quarter sales growth. While this boosts reported revenue, it reflects higher prices rather than stronger gasoline volume, making the underlying growth rate less impressive. Is One Number Reason Enough to Sell Costco Stock?
• Negative Sentiment: Rising fuel, freight, supplier and merchandise costs could pressure Costco’s already-thin margins. Investors are watching whether the company absorbs the increases to preserve its value proposition or passes them to customers at the risk of slowing demand. Can Costco Absorb Rising Costs?
• Negative Sentiment: Costco’s premium valuation leaves limited room for disappointment. Commentary questioning whether its growth justifies the high earnings multiple may restrain further gains even as the company’s operating performance remains solid.
• Negative Sentiment: Executive Vice President Claudine Adamo sold 2,200 shares worth approximately $2.02 million, reducing her direct holdings by 23.57%. The transaction does not change Costco’s fundamentals but may weigh modestly on sentiment. Costco Insider Share Sale

Costco Wholesale Company Profile

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a membership-based warehouse retail business under the Costco name. The company sells a broad selection of merchandise, including groceries, fresh foods, beverages, appliances, electronics, furniture, apparel, jewelry, hardware, and seasonal products. It also offers services such as gasoline, pharmacies, optical departments, hearing-aid centers, food courts, travel services, and business delivery in selected markets.

Costco markets many products under its private-label Kirkland Signature brand and sells merchandise through warehouse locations and e-commerce platforms.

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