Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Purchased by Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc.

Key Points

• Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada increased its Costco stake by 5.3% in the first quarter, buying 1,784 additional shares and bringing its total holdings to 35,719 shares valued at about $36.4 million.
• Costco continues to see support from institutional investors and analysts, with 68.48% of shares held by institutions and several firms raising price targets; the current consensus rating is Moderate Buy.
• The company reported solid quarterly results with revenue of $70.53 billion, slightly topping estimates, while EPS missed by a penny. Costco also raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share from $1.30.

Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 5.3% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 35,719 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 1,784 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale makes up 0.7% of Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc.'s holdings, making the stock its 27th biggest position. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc.'s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $36,382,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth about $31,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth about $33,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the 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 transaction, the director owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at $4,575,653.55. This trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts recently commented on COST shares. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. TD Cowen reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $1,175.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Weiss Ratings lowered Costco Wholesale from a "buy (b)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 23rd. DA Davidson reaffirmed a "neutral" rating and set a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, June 4th. Finally, UBS Group lifted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 20th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,061.45.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $951.67 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $422.05 billion, a PE ratio of 47.87, a P/E/G ratio of 4.61 and a beta of 0.88. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month 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 business has a 50-day moving average price of $990.38 and a 200 day moving average price of $973.36.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results 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). Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.The business had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $4.28 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

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

Costco Wholesale Company 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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.