Clear Harbor Asset Management LLC Buys New Stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Clear Harbor Asset Management purchased 3,108 Costco shares worth approximately $2.9 million, while institutional investors collectively own 68.48% of the company.
• Analysts remain broadly positive, with Costco receiving a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $1,059.53, despite differing individual targets and ratings.
• Costco shares opened at $925.41 and recently paid a quarterly dividend of $1.47 per share, equivalent to a 0.6% annualized yield; insider ownership remains very low at 0.10%.

Clear Harbor Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 3,108 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $2,907,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Brighton Jones LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 12.3% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 19,825 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $18,165,000 after buying an additional 2,172 shares during the period. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 13.1% during the fourth quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,123 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,029,000 after acquiring an additional 130 shares during the period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 4.5% during the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 3,853 shares of the retailer's stock worth $3,814,000 after acquiring an additional 165 shares during the period. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 1.1% in the second quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. now owns 2,110 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,089,000 after acquiring an additional 23 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Schnieders Capital Management LLC. raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 2.2% in the second quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 8,502 shares of the retailer's stock worth $8,416,000 after acquiring an additional 182 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Kenneth Denman sold 885 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was 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 $4,575,653.55. This represents a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have recently weighed in on COST. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective 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. Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, June 18th. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $1,020.00 target price on the stock. UBS Group increased their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 20th. Truist Financial raised their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Finally, HC Wainwright restated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Twenty-one investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,059.53.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 0.3%

COST stock opened at $925.41 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.61. The firm has a market capitalization of $410.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 46.55, a P/E/G ratio of 3.85 and a beta of 0.86. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,096.50. The company's 50 day simple moving average is $944.31 and its 200-day simple moving average is $978.18.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

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

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Strong August and fiscal-year sales: Costco reported August net sales of $23.70 billion, up 9.9% year over year. Fourth-quarter sales rose 11.3% to $93.9 billion, while fiscal-year sales increased 10.2% to $297.3 billion. Total comparable sales grew 8.4% for August and the fiscal year, and digitally enabled sales rose 17.9% for the month and 20.9% for the year. Costco August Sales Results
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts remain constructive: BTIG reaffirmed its Buy rating with a $1,125 price target, while Bank of America maintained a Buy rating and a $1,200 target. These targets imply substantial upside and suggest analysts believe Costco’s membership model and sales momentum support its premium valuation. BTIG Costco Rating
• Neutral Sentiment: Mixed analyst signal: DA Davidson reaffirmed a Neutral rating but lifted its price target to $1,000, indicating limited conviction even while acknowledging potential appreciation.
• Neutral Sentiment: Long-term optimism: Commentary argues Costco could eventually surpass Home Depot and Lowe’s in market value if it sustains membership growth, warehouse expansion and consistent execution. This is a long-range thesis rather than a near-term catalyst. Costco Long-Term Valuation Forecast
• Negative Sentiment: DOJ beef-pricing investigation: The Justice Department is requesting records from Costco and other major retailers regarding beef prices, costs, margins and purchasing strategies. The inquiry creates potential legal, regulatory and operational risks, although no wrongdoing has been established. DOJ Beef Price Inquiry
• Negative Sentiment: Costco Next shutdown: The abrupt ending of the online Costco Next marketplace disappointed some members and raises questions about the company’s digital strategy, though the direct financial effect appears limited. Costco Next Shutdown

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.

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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