Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Bought by Wealthfront Advisers LLC

Key Points

• Wealthfront Advisers LLC increased its Costco stake by 13.6% in the first quarter, adding 7,914 shares to bring its total to 66,236 shares worth about $66 million.
• Other large institutional investors also adjusted their positions, and 68.48% of Costco’s stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors, underscoring heavy Wall Street ownership.
• Analysts remain constructive overall: Costco has a Moderate Buy consensus with a $1,059.07 price target, even as the stock recently traded below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages and some near-term sentiment has softened.

Wealthfront Advisers LLC grew its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 13.6% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 66,236 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 7,914 shares during the period. Wealthfront Advisers LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $66,000,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of COST. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.4% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 43,620,717 shares of the retailer's stock worth $37,615,889,000 after purchasing an additional 165,349 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 10,388,519 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $8,919,573,000 after buying an additional 26,690 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 9,523,423 shares of the retailer's stock worth $8,212,433,000 after buying an additional 107,775 shares during the period. Diamant Asset Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 99,278.0% during the 1st quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. now owns 6,726,899 shares of the retailer's stock worth $672,690,000 after buying an additional 6,720,130 shares during the period. Finally, Corient Private Wealth LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 838.9% during the 4th quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 6,125,405 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $5,282,182,000 after buying an additional 5,472,968 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale 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 transaction of $847,343.25. Following the transaction, 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 the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have issued reports on COST. Guggenheim reaffirmed a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. Sanford C. Bernstein boosted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,192.00 to $1,194.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. DA Davidson restated a "neutral" rating and set a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, June 4th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,059.07.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

NASDAQ:COST opened at $916.54 on Thursday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,096.50. The stock has a market cap of $406.47 billion, a PE ratio of 46.10, a P/E/G ratio of 4.46 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.07. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $978.42 and a 200 day moving average price of $977.29.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates 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 net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $4.28 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 24th will be 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 is Friday, July 24th. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is 29.58%.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s launch of Borealis Foods’ Chef Woo high-protein noodles is drawing strong early member demand, highlighting Costco’s ability to quickly scale trending, health-oriented products and support traffic in its warehouses. Borealis Foods Expands Access to Protein-Rich Chef Woo Noodles Through Costco
• Positive Sentiment: Another report says Costco will open seven new warehouse locations in August, reinforcing the company’s steady expansion strategy and long-term membership growth potential. Costco announces 7 new warehouse locations to open in August
• Positive Sentiment: Royal Bank of Canada initiated coverage with a $1,000 price target, signaling Wall Street still sees upside from current levels despite recent weakness. Costco Wholesale is now covered by Royal Bank Of Canada
• Neutral Sentiment: Several commentary pieces focused on Costco’s dividend, valuation, and reputation as a defensive retailer; these are supportive of the investment case, but they do not appear to be immediate stock-moving catalysts. Here's How Many Shares of Costco Stock You'd Need for $1,000 in Yearly Dividends
• Neutral Sentiment: Other articles praised Costco’s resilience in uncertain consumer conditions and its success in international markets, but these were mainly background/analyst commentary rather than new fundamental developments. Casey’s, Costco, and Other Consumer Stocks for Uncertain Times
• Negative Sentiment: Some coverage noted Costco’s stock has been weak recently and that investors are questioning whether the dip is a buying opportunity, which can keep sentiment cautious in the near term. Costco Stock: Buy the Dip?

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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