Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST is Northstar Asset Management Inc.'s 6th Largest Position

Key Points

• Northstar Asset Management reduced its Costco position by 9.4% in the second quarter, leaving 14,023 shares worth approximately $13.1 million. Costco remains Northstar’s sixth-largest holding and represents about 3.8% of its portfolio, while institutional investors collectively own 68.48% of the stock.
• Analysts maintain a generally positive outlook, with a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,059.53. However, Costco’s valuation is elevated, with a price-to-earnings ratio of about 48, leaving limited room for disappointing results.
• Costco reported quarterly revenue of $70.53 billion, above estimates, but earnings per share of $4.93 narrowly missed the $4.94 consensus. The company also paid a quarterly dividend of $1.47, equivalent to a 0.6% annualized yield.

Northstar Asset Management Inc. cut its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 9.4% in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 14,023 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 1,449 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale accounts for about 3.8% of Northstar Asset Management Inc.'s investment portfolio, making the stock its 6th largest holding. Northstar Asset Management Inc.'s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $13,118,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in COST. World Investment Advisors grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 8.4% during the 4th quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 20,081 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $15,835,000 after acquiring an additional 1,560 shares in the last quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 24.5% during the fourth quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 140,429 shares of the retailer's stock worth $121,098,000 after acquiring an additional 27,625 shares in the last quarter. Sarasin & Partners LLP boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 6.9% during the second quarter. Sarasin & Partners LLP now owns 214,194 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $200,372,000 after purchasing an additional 13,795 shares during the last quarter. Perryman Financial Advisory Inc. AD acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at $9,300,000. Finally, Retail Employees Superannuation Pty Ltd as trustee for Retail Employees Superannuation Trust purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at about $5,813,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the firm'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 transaction, the director directly owned 4,779 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. This trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have weighed in on COST shares. Citigroup assumed coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $1,020.00 target price on the stock. Bank of America lifted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Oppenheimer increased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, May 19th. 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. 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-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,059.53.

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 0.1%

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $961.05 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 company has a market capitalization of $426.21 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.34, a PEG ratio of 4.57 and a beta of 0.87. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,096.50. The company's fifty day moving average price is $949.77 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $981.29.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share 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 company had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $4.28 earnings per share. On average, analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Investors 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 dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 29.58%.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Market-share gains in Canada: Costco is now Canada’s second-largest grocery store chain, indicating continued customer adoption and potential for international growth. Costco Wholesale Is Now Canada’s Second Largest Grocery Store Chain
• Positive Sentiment: Resilient value proposition: Analysts continue to highlight Costco’s ability to attract and retain members through low prices, including inexpensive gasoline. This value positioning could support demand as consumers remain selective. Retail Stocks Poised for an Earnings Beat
• Positive Sentiment: Expansion remains a growth driver: Seven additional U.S. locations are planned for 2026, adding warehouse capacity and supporting membership and sales growth over time. Seven New Costco Locations Coming in 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Tariff-refund uncertainty: Costco says it will return tariff-related refunds to customers, but the timing and mechanics remain unclear. The policy may reinforce customer goodwill, although refunds could create temporary administrative and cash-flow considerations. Costco Tariff Refunds
• Neutral Sentiment: Operational and competitive updates: Costco will close U.S. warehouses on September 7 for Labor Day, while rival BJ’s continues expanding. These developments are unlikely to materially change near-term earnings but highlight ongoing competitive dynamics. Costco Labor Day Closure
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation remains a concern: Despite a recent pullback, Costco’s roughly 48-times P/E ratio leaves limited room for execution misses. Moderating sales growth and potential margin pressure could keep investors cautious, particularly after the latest quarter narrowly missed EPS expectations. Is Costco Stock Worth Buying Now or Still Too Pricey to Touch?

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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