Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Purchased by Nissay Asset Management Corp Japan

Key Points

• Nissay Asset Management increased its Costco position by 4.1% in the second quarter, adding 6,200 shares to reach 158,416 shares valued at approximately $148.2 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 68.48% of COST.
• Costco reported strong fourth-quarter sales of $93.9 billion, up 11.3% year over year, while digitally enabled comparable sales rose 19.5%, underscoring continued e-commerce momentum.
• COST carries a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating with an average price target of $1,056.03, but its elevated valuation—about 45.8 times earnings—has raised concerns about growth expectations and competitive pressure.

Nissay Asset Management Corp Japan boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 4.1% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 158,416 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 6,200 shares during the period. Nissay Asset Management Corp Japan's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $148,193,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of COST. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth approximately $28,000. C M Bidwell & Associates Ltd. acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the second quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Finally, Burk Holdings LLC purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the second quarter valued at approximately $30,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Strong fourth-quarter sales: Costco reported fourth-quarter net sales of $93.9 billion, up 11.3% year over year. Digitally enabled comparable sales increased 19.5%, suggesting e-commerce and omnichannel initiatives remain important growth drivers. Costco's Q4 Sales Rise 11.3% as Digital Momentum Remains Strong
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade: Freedom Broker raised Costco from “hold” to “buy” and established a $1,030 price target, implying meaningful potential upside from recent trading levels. However, the upgrade has not yet overcome broader selling pressure. Costco Stock Falls Despite Freedom Broker Upgrade to Buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Returns and liquidation operations: Reports that Costco resells some returned merchandise through liquidation and B-stock auctions provide additional context on its inventory practices. The activity appears operational rather than a major new earnings catalyst, although it may help recover value from returned goods. How Costco Resells Items Returned Under Its Satisfaction Guarantee Policy
• Negative Sentiment: Premium valuation and competitive concerns: Costco’s recent underperformance has renewed debate over whether its high valuation is justified. Jim Cramer argued that the retailer may have lost some of its edge, while other commentary points to competition from discount stores. With a price-to-earnings ratio above 45, investors may be particularly sensitive to any slowdown in growth or membership appeal. Cramer Warns Costco May Have Lost Its Edge
• Negative Sentiment: Supplier bankruptcy headline: The loss of a Costco distribution deal contributed to a beverage brand’s Chapter 11 filing. This is not a direct financial threat to Costco, but it highlights vendor and product-selection risks within its merchandise ecosystem. Loss of Costco Deal Helps Push Beverage Brand Into Chapter 11

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 shares were 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 of the company's stock, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. This trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

COST stock opened at $910.18 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $403.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 45.78, a PEG ratio of 3.80 and a beta of 0.86. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,096.50. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $942.45 and a 200-day simple moving average of $976.18. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The firm 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. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is 29.58%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have weighed in on COST. Bank of America raised 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 report on Friday, May 29th. Truist Financial upped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. DA Davidson reaffirmed a "neutral" rating and issued a $1,000.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, September 3rd. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Finally, Citigroup initiated coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $1,020.00 price target for the company. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,056.03.

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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