Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Acquired by Ascentis Wealth Management LLC

Key Points

• Ascentis Wealth Management increased its Costco position by 15,259.1% in the second quarter, purchasing 367,744 additional shares and ending with 370,154 shares. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 68.48% of COST.
• Costco shares opened at $961.05, with a market capitalization of approximately $426.2 billion and a high valuation of 48.34 times earnings. The company narrowly missed quarterly EPS expectations while exceeding revenue estimates.
• Costco paid a quarterly dividend of $1.47, equivalent to $5.88 annually and a 0.6% yield. Analysts maintain a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating with an average price target of $1,059.53, though valuation remains a concern.

Ascentis Wealth Management LLC raised its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 15,259.1% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 370,154 shares of the retailer's stock after buying an additional 367,744 shares during the quarter. Ascentis Wealth Management LLC owned about 0.08% of Costco Wholesale worth $346,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of COST. Diamant Asset Management Inc. increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 99,278.0% in the first quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. now owns 6,726,899 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $672,690,000 after buying an additional 6,720,130 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth approximately $5,195,415,000. Corient Private Wealth LLC grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 838.9% in the 4th quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 6,125,405 shares of the retailer's stock worth $5,282,182,000 after acquiring an additional 5,472,968 shares during the period. Cardano Risk Management B.V. increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 907.1% in the 4th quarter. Cardano Risk Management B.V. now owns 1,785,080 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,539,346,000 after purchasing an additional 1,607,833 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Amundi increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 45.0% in the 3rd quarter. Amundi now owns 3,176,606 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $2,893,697,000 after purchasing an additional 986,182 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the company's 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 transaction, the director directly owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at approximately $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 SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of COST opened at $961.05 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,096.50. The company's 50 day simple moving average is $949.77 and its 200 day simple moving average is $981.29. 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. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.07.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.94 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations 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 in the previous year, the firm posted $4.28 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

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

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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?

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on the company. Oppenheimer lifted 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. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,110.00 to $1,100.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, July 9th. Roth Capital increased their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the company a "sell" rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein raised their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,192.00 to $1,194.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,059.53.

Costco Wholesale Company 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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