Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Acquired by Apella Capital LLC

Key Points

• Apella Capital LLC increased its Costco stake by 39% in the first quarter, buying 1,254 additional shares and bringing its total holding to 4,472 shares worth about $4.47 million.
• Costco reported quarterly earnings of $4.93 per share, just missing estimates by one cent, while revenue came in slightly above expectations at $70.53 billion.
• The company also raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share from $1.30, and analysts remain broadly positive with a Moderate Buy consensus and an average price target of $1,061.45.

Apella Capital LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 39.0% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 4,472 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 1,254 shares during the period. Apella Capital LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $4,471,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of COST. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth $31,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at $33,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have issued reports on COST. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price objective on shares of 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. Weiss Ratings lowered Costco Wholesale from a "buy (b)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a report on Tuesday. BTIG Research reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $1,125.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Roth Mkm increased their target price on Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the stock a "sell" rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Finally, Oppenheimer raised their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, May 19th. Twenty-two equities research 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. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,061.45.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 2.0%

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $942.24 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,096.50. The company has a market capitalization of $417.86 billion, a PE ratio of 47.40, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.65 and a beta of 0.88. 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's 50-day moving average is $996.71 and its two-hundred day moving average is $970.66.

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

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

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

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of Costco Wholesale 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 transaction, the director owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. This trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Several bullish articles highlighted Costco’s resilient membership model, strong sales growth, high renewal rates, and ongoing global expansion, reinforcing the view that the business remains fundamentally solid. Costco Just Posted 12% Sales Growth and 92% Membership Renewals, and the Stock Fell Anyway. Is This the Buy-the-Dip Moment?
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentary pieces suggested Costco may have further upside, with some citing a path back toward $1,000 per share and broader appeal as a defensive retailer in volatile markets. Costco Stock Price Prediction: A Path to $1,000 and Double-Digit Upside
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage around Costco’s cash generation raised the possibility of another special dividend later in 2026, which could be an additional catalyst for income-focused investors. Costco's Cash Pile Is Building. Is a Special Dividend Coming in the Second Half of 2026?
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco was also mentioned in store-opening and local expansion stories, which point to continued growth but do not appear to be major immediate stock catalysts. Costco is opening 2 new locations this week. See where
• Neutral Sentiment: A director, Kenneth D. Denman, sold 885 shares in a disclosed SEC filing. The sale was relatively small versus his remaining stake, but insider selling can still weigh on sentiment. SEC filing for Kenneth D. Denman transaction
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data showed no meaningful short position in the shares, so this report does not suggest a major bearish thesis.
• Negative Sentiment: Broader market commentary noted Costco’s stock has been under pressure recently despite solid fundamentals, suggesting valuation concerns and profit-taking may be limiting near-term upside. Costco Just Posted 12% Sales Growth and 92% Membership Renewals, and the Stock Fell Anyway. Is This the Buy-the-Dip Moment?

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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