Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Sold by CX Institutional

Key Points

• CX Institutional cut its Costco stake by 22.8% in the second quarter, selling 2,036 shares and retaining 6,886 shares valued at approximately $6.44 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 68.48% of the company.
• Costco shares opened at $947.85, down 0.7%, with a market capitalization of about $420.35 billion and a P/E ratio of 47.68. The company’s latest quarterly results narrowly missed EPS expectations but exceeded revenue forecasts.
• Costco declared a quarterly dividend of $1.47 per share, representing an annualized payout of $5.88 and a 0.6% yield. Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating with an average price target of $1,059.07.

CX Institutional reduced its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 22.8% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 6,886 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 2,036 shares during the period. CX Institutional's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $6,441,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Palisade Asset Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.4% in the fourth quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC now owns 702 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $605,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. grew 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 purchasing an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Wealth Effects LLC grew 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 purchasing an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.8% during the 1st quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. now owns 551 shares of the retailer's stock worth $549,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares during the period. Finally, First National Bank of Hutchinson increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 0.9% during the 1st quarter. First National Bank of Hutchinson now owns 1,098 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,094,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 0.7%

NASDAQ:COST opened at $947.85 on Wednesday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $952.84 and a 200-day simple moving average of $982.44. The stock has a market cap of $420.35 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.68, a P/E/G ratio of 4.61 and a beta of 0.87. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 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.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations 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 company posted $4.28 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

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

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco is expanding its store footprint with construction underway for a new location near Kuna and Meridian, Idaho. The opening could support future sales, membership growth and regional convenience. Costco construction underway near Kuna border
• Positive Sentiment: The company’s low gasoline prices are designed to attract shoppers and increase warehouse visits. Although fuel itself generates limited profit, the strategy can indirectly lift merchandise sales, memberships and overall customer retention. Costco keeps its gas super cheap for a very specific reason
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts highlighted a 92.2% U.S.-Canada renewal rate, growth in Executive memberships and improving digital retention. These trends reinforce Costco’s recurring-revenue model and suggest customer loyalty remains strong despite changes in membership mix. Costco's Renewal Trends Point to Lasting Customer Loyalty
• Positive Sentiment: Reported changes aimed at resolving members’ biggest pain points could help Costco protect membership sales and retention, which are central to its profitability. Costco's changes fix members' biggest problems
• Neutral Sentiment: Positive attention around a frozen food item highlights Costco’s ability to generate value-oriented consumer engagement, but the product buzz is unlikely to materially affect near-term earnings. One of Costco's best frozen items
• Negative Sentiment: Costco reportedly agreed to a $14 million settlement involving allegedly misleading “fake urgency” emails. The financial impact appears manageable for a company of Costco’s size, but the matter creates legal, compliance and reputational concerns. Costco's $14M settlement over fake urgency emails

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on COST shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,110.00 to $1,100.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, July 9th. Roth Capital upped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the stock a "sell" rating in a research note 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 report on Thursday, June 4th. Mizuho set a $1,100.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Finally, Citigroup began coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, June 18th. They set a "neutral" rating and a $1,020.00 price target for the company. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,059.07.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred 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 sale, the director 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 ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

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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