Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Purchased by California State Teachers Retirement System

Key Points

• California State Teachers Retirement System reported a dramatic increase in its Costco stake during the second quarter, purchasing more than 630 million additional shares. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 68.48% of Costco’s stock.
• Wall Street’s consensus remains favorable, with 22 Buy ratings, 12 Holds and one Sell rating producing a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $1,056.03.
• Costco shares opened at $904.77, below their 50-day and 200-day moving averages, while the company maintains a quarterly dividend of $1.47, or $5.88 annualized, yielding approximately 0.6%. A company director also sold 885 shares, and insiders own just 0.10% of the stock.

California State Teachers Retirement System raised its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 91,744.7% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 631,103,610 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 630,416,468 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale accounts for about 1.6% of California State Teachers Retirement System's holdings, making the stock its 17th biggest position. California State Teachers Retirement System owned 142.31% of Costco Wholesale worth $590,378,494,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Palisade Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.4% in the 4th quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC now owns 702 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $605,000 after buying an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% during the 4th quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. now owns 3,194 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,754,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Wealth Effects LLC raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.2% during the 1st quarter. Wealth Effects LLC now owns 874 shares of the retailer's stock worth $871,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.8% in the first quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. now owns 551 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $549,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Finally, First National Bank of Hutchinson boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.9% in the first quarter. First National Bank of Hutchinson now owns 1,098 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,094,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have recently commented on the company. Weiss Ratings cut Costco Wholesale from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 2nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,110.00 to $1,100.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, July 9th. Guggenheim restated a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Mizuho set a $1,100.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Finally, Roth Capital boosted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the company a "sell" rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,056.03.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ COST opened at $904.77 on Monday. The firm's fifty day moving average is $940.09 and its two-hundred day moving average is $974.42. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,096.50. 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 firm has a market cap of $401.25 billion, a PE ratio of 45.51, a P/E/G ratio of 3.77 and a beta of 0.86.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

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

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth Denman sold 885 shares of the company'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 transaction of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 4,779 shares of the company's stock, valued at $4,575,653.55. This represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s recent August and fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 sales results supported an analyst upgrade from “hold” to “buy,” accompanied by a $1,030 price target. The data were viewed as evidence of resilient consumer demand and improving visibility into retail trends. Analyst upgrade following sales reports
• Positive Sentiment: Several analysts maintain substantially higher targets, including targets of $1,100 to $1,200, arguing that Costco’s membership model, recurring sales, and execution could support further valuation upside. Costco price prediction
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage highlights Costco’s ability to compete with Walmart and Amazon, while planned warehouse openings—including a reported $42 million Texas development and additional U.S. and Canadian locations—could expand its membership and sales base. Costco competition and growth
• Positive Sentiment: An Accenture survey suggests consumers may begin holiday shopping unusually early and spend more than in 2025, a potentially favorable backdrop for Costco’s seasonal merchandise and grocery sales. Holiday shopping outlook
• Neutral Sentiment: Brokerage coverage remains favorable overall, with Costco carrying an average “Moderate Buy” rating, but the stock’s elevated valuation means continued earnings and sales growth may be required to justify further gains. Costco brokerage rating
• Neutral Sentiment: New warehouse projects and relocations should support long-term expansion, although local traffic concerns around one planned location could delay or complicate development. Lee’s Summit Costco development
• Negative Sentiment: Costco shares have closed lower for eight consecutive sessions, raising concerns about a technical or valuation-driven correction despite strong operating results.
• Negative Sentiment: Recent insider activity consisted of two sales and no purchases, while reports that Costco is rationing motor oil point to potential product-availability and supply-chain pressures.

About Costco Wholesale

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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