Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Purchased by HighTower Advisors LLC

HighTower Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 3.1% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 448,285 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 13,371 shares during the period. HighTower Advisors LLC owned approximately 0.10% of Costco Wholesale worth $419,357,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. World Investment Advisors lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 8.4% in the fourth quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 20,081 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $15,835,000 after acquiring an additional 1,560 shares during the period. Sarasin & Partners LLP grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 6.9% during the 2nd 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 during the period. Perryman Financial Advisory Inc. AD acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth approximately $9,300,000. Retail Employees Superannuation Pty Ltd as trustee for Retail Employees Superannuation Trust purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $5,813,000. Finally, Hyperion Asset Management Ltd increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 9.0% during the 2nd quarter. Hyperion Asset Management Ltd now owns 68,762 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $64,325,000 after purchasing an additional 5,656 shares in 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 $960.01 on Wednesday. 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 company has a fifty day moving average of $946.44 and a two-hundred day moving average of $980.87. The stock has a market capitalization of $425.75 billion, a PE ratio of 48.29, a P/E/G ratio of 4.62 and a beta of 0.87. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate 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 net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $4.28 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Investors of record on Friday, July 24th were issued 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 presently 29.58%.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: AI-driven digital opportunity: Costco’s rising AI-generated search traffic reportedly has its highest conversion rate, suggesting AI visibility could become a meaningful catalyst for online sales growth. Will Costco’s AI Search Growth Become a Meaningful Sales Catalyst?
• Positive Sentiment: Continued consumer value appeal: Articles highlighting Costco’s money-saving grocery products, bulk-buying strategies and popular school snacks reinforce the retailer’s value proposition and could support membership loyalty and sales. 7 Costco Grocery Items That Can Save You Hundreds of Dollars Annually
• Neutral Sentiment: Institutional buying: Golden Reserve Retirement LLC increased its COST position by 133.9%, purchasing 592 additional shares. However, the resulting holding of only 1,034 shares is too small to represent a significant market signal. Golden Reserve Retirement LLC Increases Position in Costco
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data provides no clear signal: Reported short interest was zero, with an unusable percentage-change figure and a zero-day days-to-cover ratio, indicating the data does not meaningfully explain trading activity.
• Negative Sentiment: Tariff-refund litigation remains an overhang: Costco is contesting a customer lawsuit over refunds of certain IEEPA duties, while attorneys argue that Costco’s recovery of some duties weakens its case against issuing member refunds. Potential refunds and legal costs could pressure margins. Costco Fights Customer’s Tariff Suit as Refunds Flow In
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation sensitivity: Investor Michael Burry reportedly characterized Costco as “permacostly,” highlighting concern that COST’s elevated earnings multiple leaves less room for disappointment. The latest quarterly EPS also narrowly missed consensus, despite revenue exceeding expectations.
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco’s planned 24-hour closure on September 7 is a routine holiday-related event and is unlikely to materially affect the investment outlook. Costco Will Shut Down for 24 Hours on September 7

Analyst Ratings Changes

COST has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Truist Financial increased their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,110.00 to $1,100.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, July 9th. DA Davidson reissued a "neutral" rating and set a $1,000.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, June 4th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a "buy" rating and set a $1,120.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, August 6th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price target on 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. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,059.53.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the business'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 in the company, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale 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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