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

Key Points

• New York State Teachers Retirement System increased its stake in Costco by 1.7% in the first quarter, adding 5,898 shares to reach 356,120 shares valued at about $354.8 million.
• Wall Street remains broadly bullish on Costco, with 22 Buy ratings, 11 Holds, and 1 Sell; the consensus rating is Moderate Buy and the average price target is $1,061.45.
• Costco reported slightly mixed quarterly results, missing EPS expectations by a penny but beating revenue estimates, while also raising its quarterly dividend to $1.47 from $1.30.

New York State Teachers Retirement System lifted its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 1.7% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 356,120 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 5,898 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale accounts for approximately 0.7% of New York State Teachers Retirement System's holdings, making the stock its 17th largest position. New York State Teachers Retirement System owned 0.08% of Costco Wholesale worth $354,849,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $33,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

COST has been the topic of several research reports. Bank of America increased their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,110.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Friday, April 17th. 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. Citigroup started coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. They set a "neutral" rating and a $1,020.00 price target on the stock. Finally, TD Cowen restated a "buy" rating and set a $1,175.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Twenty-two investment 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. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,061.45.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $951.67 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,096.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The firm has a market capitalization of $422.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.87, a PEG ratio of 4.61 and a beta of 0.88. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $990.38 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $972.57.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly 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 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 in the previous year, the business posted $4.28 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st were issued a $1.47 dividend. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is currently 29.58%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the firm'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 value of $847,343.25. Following the sale, the director directly owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at $4,575,653.55. This trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco is expanding its footprint with several new warehouse openings and planned locations across the U.S., which could support membership growth and future revenue. Costco to Open New Stores Across the U.S.: Full List of Locations
• Positive Sentiment: New store approvals in California and other regions suggest Costco’s growth runway remains intact, even if some local residents are pushing back. New Costco approved in California, but some locals say location is 'unnecessary'
• Positive Sentiment: Costco began alcohol sales at a Pennsylvania store, another example of incremental in-store offerings that can increase traffic and basket size. Costco Wholesale begins alcohol sales at Pennsylvania store
• Neutral Sentiment: Articles on a possible special dividend and a potential stock split are mostly speculative; they may interest shareholders, but they do not appear to be the main near-term driver of the stock. Will Costco Pay a Special Dividend in 2026? Here's What History Says.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts and commentators continue to debate Costco’s valuation, noting strong long-term returns but also that the stock looks expensive on earnings, which can cap upside. Costco (COST) Stock Looks Strong On Returns But Expensive On Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: One recent analysis said Costco’s growth engine may be losing momentum as lower fuel prices could reduce a key traffic driver and create execution risk for the stock. Costco’s secret growth engine may be running out of gas
• Negative Sentiment: Another report highlighted that Costco has underperformed the broader market over the past three months, reflecting investor concern about its premium valuation. Why Costco Stock (COST) Underperformed the S&P 500 Over the Past 3 Months

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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