Corient Private Wealth LP Acquires Shares of 926,657 Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Corient Private Wealth LP acquired 926,657 Costco shares in the second quarter, valued at approximately $726.7 million and representing 0.21% of the company. Institutional investors collectively own 68.48% of Costco’s stock.
• Costco reported strong August performance, with net sales up 9.9% year over year and digitally enabled sales rising 17.9%, supporting continued confidence in its membership and e-commerce businesses.
• Despite a “Moderate Buy” analyst consensus and a $1,056.90 average price target, valuation remains a concern: shares trade at roughly 46 times earnings, while regulatory scrutiny over beef pricing and mixed analyst targets present potential risks.

Corient Private Wealth LP acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 926,657 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $726,689,000. Corient Private Wealth LP owned 0.21% of Costco Wholesale as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. C M Bidwell & Associates Ltd. purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, Burk Holdings LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $30,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

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

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have recently weighed in on COST. Roth Capital lifted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the company a "sell" rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a "buy" rating and set a $1,091.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday. Bank of America lifted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Guggenheim reissued a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Finally, Mizuho set a $1,100.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Twenty-one research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,056.90.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 1.0%

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $915.74 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,096.50. The stock has a market cap of $406.11 billion, a PE ratio of 46.06, a P/E/G ratio of 3.80 and a beta of 0.86. 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 50-day moving average of $943.58 and a 200 day moving average of $977.75.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

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

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other news, Director Kenneth Denman sold 885 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred 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 directly 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 currently owned by corporate insiders.

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.

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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