Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Sold by Strive Financial Group LLC

Key Points

• Strive Financial Group cut its Costco stake by 73.4% in the second quarter, selling 1,460 shares and retaining 530 shares valued at approximately $496,000. Institutional investors still own 68.48% of the stock.
• Analysts maintain a generally positive view, with 22 Buy ratings, 11 Holds and one Sell; Costco has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,059.53.
• Costco’s latest quarter showed revenue of $70.53 billion, above estimates, but EPS of $4.93 narrowly missed expectations. Shares opened at $947.74, while the company paid a quarterly dividend of $1.47, yielding 0.6% annually.

Strive Financial Group LLC reduced its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 73.4% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 530 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 1,460 shares during the quarter. Strive Financial Group LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $496,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of COST. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $33,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on COST shares. TD Cowen reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $1,175.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a "buy" rating and set a $1,120.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, August 6th. BTIG Research restated a "buy" rating and set a $1,125.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, May 29th. DA Davidson restated 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, Mizuho set a $1,100.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Twenty-two equities research 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's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,059.53.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

NASDAQ COST opened at $947.74 on Monday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,096.50. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The stock has a market cap of $420.30 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.51 and a beta of 0.87. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $947.14 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $981.04.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. During the same period last year, the firm posted $4.28 EPS. Analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Investors of record on Friday, July 24th were given 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 dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 29.58%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction 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 sale, the director owned 4,779 shares of the company's stock, valued at $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Medicare expansion creates a new growth opportunity. Costco is partnering with SCAN Group to offer Costco-branded Medicare Advantage and supplemental plans in select states. The initiative targets Costco’s large senior-member base and gives the company exposure to the approximately $600 billion Medicare market without requiring it to become a traditional insurer. Costco to Offer Medicare Plans for Older Adults
• Positive Sentiment: Costco raised its dividend by 13.1%. The increase reinforces the company’s strong cash-generation profile and may improve its appeal to income-oriented investors, although the stock’s high valuation limits its current dividend yield. Costco Just Upped Its Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: Additional monetization opportunities could support long-term growth. Analysts and commentators point to Costco’s retail-media business, AI-powered search capabilities and pharmacy operations as emerging growth engines alongside membership renewals, warehouse expansion and Kirkland Signature products. Costco Is Quietly Building Its Next Big Growth Engine
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco’s relative resilience compared with Walmart highlights its value proposition. Walmart reported weaker U.S. traffic and comparable-sales growth, while Costco was less affected, suggesting its membership model and perceived value may be helping it navigate consumer affordability pressures. Walmart Drops on Slow Same-Store Sales Growth
• Neutral Sentiment: A potential stock split is speculative. Costco shares have appreciated substantially since the prior 2-for-1 split 26 years ago. A future split could improve accessibility and trading liquidity, but it would not change the company’s underlying value or fundamentals. Costco Stock Split Analysis
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and modest earnings pressure remain risks. Costco trades at a lofty earnings multiple, while its latest quarterly EPS narrowly missed estimates despite revenue exceeding expectations. That premium leaves less room for disappointment if membership growth, margins or consumer spending weaken.
• Negative Sentiment: The Medicare initiative will require execution. Entering a regulated, competitive insurance market could diversify revenue, but the pilot’s limited geographic rollout and potential healthcare-related complexity mean meaningful financial benefits may take time to develop. Costco Enters the Medicare Insurance Market

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.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding COST? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report).

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.

Continue following MarketBeat

Add MarketBeat as your preferred source on Google to see our latest stories in your feed.

Add As Preferred Source