Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC Buys 21,150 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Allspring Global Investments boosted its Costco stake by 25.8% in the first quarter, buying 21,150 additional shares and bringing its holding to 103,141 shares valued at about $102.8 million.
• Wall Street remains broadly constructive on Costco, with 22 analysts rating it a Buy, 12 Hold, and 1 Sell; the consensus view is a Moderate Buy with a $1,059.07 target price.
• Costco reported quarterly earnings of $4.93 per share, just below estimates, while revenue came in above expectations at $70.53 billion. The company also declared a $1.47 quarterly dividend payable August 7, with an ex-dividend date of July 24.

Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC increased its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 25.8% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 103,141 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 21,150 shares during the quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $102,787,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

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

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on the company. 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, June 4th. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Costco Wholesale from a "buy (b)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a report on Tuesday, June 23rd. BTIG Research reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $1,125.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Telsey Advisory Group upped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced 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 investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,059.07.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 0.5%

COST opened at $940.87 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,096.50. The firm's 50 day simple moving average is $975.73 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $977.54. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The company has a market capitalization of $417.26 billion, a PE ratio of 47.33, a PEG ratio of 4.58 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last announced 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 net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. The firm had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $4.28 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.39 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 24th will be issued 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 payout ratio is 29.58%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other news, Director Kenneth D. 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 value of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. This trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing 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 Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Erste Group Bank raised its FY2026 EPS estimate for Costco to $20.52 from $20.49, slightly above the Street consensus of $20.38, suggesting analysts still see modest earnings upside. Earnings forecast boost article
• Positive Sentiment: Costco remains a favorite dividend name, with its next ex-dividend date set for July 24, which may attract income-focused investors ahead of the payout. Dividend article
• Neutral Sentiment: A profile of a longtime Costco cashier who became a millionaire highlights the company’s employee retention and compensation culture, but it is unlikely to materially affect near-term fundamentals. Employee profile article
• Neutral Sentiment: Several local news items about new warehouses, gas stations, and remodels point to ongoing store expansion and reinvestment, but they are not major stock-moving catalysts by themselves.
• Negative Sentiment: MarketBeat said Costco’s June sales showed cooling comparable sales and weak international results, keeping the stock in “neutral” territory despite its premium valuation. Cooling comp sales article
• Negative Sentiment: Additional commentary from Zacks and Yahoo Finance argued Costco shares still look expensive after a strong multi-year run, reinforcing valuation concerns that can weigh on the stock. Valuation debate article

Costco Wholesale 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.

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