Ascentis Independent Advisors Acquires 5,627 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Ascentis Independent Advisors increased its Costco stake by 152.6% in the first quarter, buying 5,627 additional shares and bringing its total holdings to 9,314 shares valued at about $9.28 million.
• Costco continues to attract broad institutional interest, with 68.48% of the stock owned by institutions, while company insider Director Kenneth D. Denman recently sold 885 shares.
• The company reported mixed recent results: quarterly EPS slightly missed estimates, but revenue came in ahead of expectations, and Costco also raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share from $1.30.

Ascentis Independent Advisors raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 152.6% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 9,314 shares of the retailer's stock after buying an additional 5,627 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale comprises 0.7% of Ascentis Independent Advisors' portfolio, making the stock its 19th largest holding. Ascentis Independent Advisors' holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $9,282,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

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

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco is expanding its footprint with several new warehouse openings and planned locations across the U.S., which could support membership growth and future revenue. Costco to Open New Stores Across the U.S.: Full List of Locations
• Positive Sentiment: New store approvals in California and other regions suggest Costco’s growth runway remains intact, even if some local residents are pushing back. New Costco approved in California, but some locals say location is 'unnecessary'
• Positive Sentiment: Costco began alcohol sales at a Pennsylvania store, another example of incremental in-store offerings that can increase traffic and basket size. Costco Wholesale begins alcohol sales at Pennsylvania store
• Neutral Sentiment: Articles on a possible special dividend and a potential stock split are mostly speculative; they may interest shareholders, but they do not appear to be the main near-term driver of the stock. Will Costco Pay a Special Dividend in 2026? Here's What History Says.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts and commentators continue to debate Costco’s valuation, noting strong long-term returns but also that the stock looks expensive on earnings, which can cap upside. Costco (COST) Stock Looks Strong On Returns But Expensive On Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: One recent analysis said Costco’s growth engine may be losing momentum as lower fuel prices could reduce a key traffic driver and create execution risk for the stock. Costco’s secret growth engine may be running out of gas
• Negative Sentiment: Another report highlighted that Costco has underperformed the broader market over the past three months, reflecting investor concern about its premium valuation. Why Costco Stock (COST) Underperformed the S&P 500 Over the Past 3 Months

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

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

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of COST stock opened at $951.67 on Monday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,096.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.07. The firm has a market capitalization of $422.05 billion, a PE ratio of 47.87, a PEG ratio of 4.61 and a beta of 0.88. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $990.38 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $973.36.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. The business had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $4.28 earnings per share. On average, analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st were paid a dividend of $1.47 per share. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is 29.58%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have commented on COST shares. HC Wainwright restated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. DA Davidson reaffirmed a "neutral" rating and set a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, June 4th. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price objective 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. Telsey Advisory Group increased their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Finally, BTIG Research restated a "buy" rating and set a $1,125.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,061.45.

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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