Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Acquired by Proficio Capital Partners LLC

Key Points

• Proficio Capital Partners increased its Costco position by 169.5% in the second quarter, owning 3,239 shares valued at approximately $3.03 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively hold 68.48% of Costco’s stock.
• Costco shares opened at $902.60, with a market capitalization of roughly $400.3 billion and a relatively high P/E ratio of 45.40. The company pays a quarterly dividend of $1.47, equivalent to a 0.7% annual yield.
• Wall Street maintains a “Moderate Buy” consensus, with 22 Buy, 12 Hold and one Sell rating and an average price target of $1,056.03; however, a Costco director recently sold 885 shares worth about $847,000.

Proficio Capital Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 169.5% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 3,239 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 2,037 shares during the quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $3,030,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of COST. World Investment Advisors raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 8.4% during the fourth quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 20,081 shares of the retailer's stock worth $15,835,000 after acquiring an additional 1,560 shares during the period. Sarasin & Partners LLP increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 6.9% during the second quarter. Sarasin & Partners LLP now owns 214,194 shares of the retailer's stock worth $200,372,000 after purchasing an additional 13,795 shares in the last quarter. Perryman Financial Advisory Inc. AD acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth about $9,300,000. Nissay Asset Management Corp Japan lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 4.1% in the 2nd quarter. Nissay Asset Management Corp Japan now owns 158,416 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $148,193,000 after buying an additional 6,200 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Hyperion Asset Management Ltd boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 9.0% in the 2nd quarter. Hyperion Asset Management Ltd now owns 68,762 shares of the retailer's stock worth $64,325,000 after buying an additional 5,656 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ COST opened at $902.60 on Thursday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,096.50. The firm has a market capitalization of $400.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 45.40, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.79 and a beta of 0.86. The stock's fifty day moving average is $942.01 and its two-hundred day moving average is $975.58. 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 Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 24th were paid a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.7%. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is 29.58%.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade and expansion support the growth outlook. Freedom Broker upgraded Costco from “hold” to “buy” and assigned a $1,030 price target, implying meaningful upside. Separately, Costco plans to open 14 warehouses in the U.S. and Canada before year-end, which could expand membership, sales and long-term earnings. Freedom Broker upgrade and Costco expansion reports Costco warehouse expansion article
• Positive Sentiment: Seasonal merchandising remains a membership benefit. Costco is adding a popular seasonal item to its lineup, reinforcing its strategy of offering limited-time and value-oriented products that can drive store traffic and encourage member purchases. Costco seasonal merchandise article
• Neutral Sentiment: Labor practices highlight Costco’s employee-retention advantage. A report about a meat cutter earning $32 per hour with benefits and job security underscores Costco’s reputation for relatively strong employee compensation. That may support service quality and retention, although higher labor costs could pressure margins over time. Costco employee compensation article
• Neutral Sentiment: Return-product resale operations provide limited incremental value. Reports that Costco sends some returned merchandise to liquidation auctions reveal a secondary channel for recovering value, but the financial impact appears too small to materially change the investment case. Costco returns and liquidation article
• Negative Sentiment: Costco reportedly shut down an online marketplace service. The abrupt closure raises questions about e-commerce execution and could disappoint investors seeking faster digital growth, even if the move ultimately reflects strategic streamlining. Costco online marketplace closure article
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and competitive concerns are weighing on sentiment. Commentary questioning whether Costco has lost some of its competitive edge, along with comparisons to lower-priced dollar stores, adds pressure to an already expensive stock. The recent underperformance makes investors less willing to pay a premium multiple without stronger growth. Costco competitive edge commentary

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth Denman sold 885 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 4,779 shares of the company's stock, valued at $4,575,653.55. This trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have commented on COST. Guggenheim reissued a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. BTIG Research reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $1,125.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, September 3rd. Mizuho set a $1,100.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. UBS Group upped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 20th. Finally, HC Wainwright reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,056.03.

Costco Wholesale Profile

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates membership-based warehouse clubs that offer a broad selection of merchandise at generally competitive prices. Its product range includes groceries, fresh foods, apparel, appliances, electronics, furniture, jewelry, hardware, and seasonal goods, along with private-label products sold under the Kirkland Signature brand.

The company also provides a variety of ancillary services, including gasoline stations, pharmacies, optical centers, hearing-aid centers, food courts, tire centers, and travel services.

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