Ancora Advisors LLC Acquires New Shares in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Ancora Advisors acquired 16,985 Costco shares during the second quarter, worth approximately $15.9 million. Institutional investors collectively own 68.48% of the company.
• Analysts maintain a generally positive outlook, with 21 Buy ratings, 12 Holds, and one Sell. Costco has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,056.90.
• Costco shares opened at $915.74, while the company recently paid a quarterly dividend of $1.47, or $5.88 annualized, yielding approximately 0.6%. A company director separately sold 885 shares for about $847,000.

Ancora Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 16,985 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $15,889,000.

Other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. C M Bidwell & Associates Ltd. purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale during the second quarter worth about $28,000. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $27,000. Burk Holdings LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 2nd quarter valued at about $30,000. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter valued at about $30,000. Finally, Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. HC Wainwright restated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,110.00 to $1,100.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, July 9th. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. DA Davidson reissued a "neutral" rating and issued a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday. Finally, Truist Financial raised their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-one investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,056.90.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $915.74 on Friday. 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 Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,096.50. The company has a fifty day moving average of $943.58 and a 200-day moving average of $977.75. The stock has a market capitalization of $406.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.80 and a beta of 0.86.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

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

More Costco Wholesale News

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

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In related news, Director Kenneth Denman sold 885 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at $4,575,653.55. This represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

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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