Evolve Private Wealth LLC Invests $3.68 Million in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Evolve Private Wealth acquired a new $3.68 million stake in Costco during the second quarter, purchasing 3,937 shares. Institutional investors collectively own 68.48% of the company.
• Analyst sentiment remains favorable, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $1,059.53, above the reported share price of $928.48.
• Costco shares trade at a high valuation of roughly 46.7 times earnings, while a director recently sold $847,343 worth of stock. The company also pays a quarterly dividend of $1.47, yielding approximately 0.6% annually.

Evolve Private Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 3,937 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $3,683,000.

Several other large investors have also bought and sold shares of COST. Diamant Asset Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 99,278.0% in the first quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. now owns 6,726,899 shares of the retailer's stock worth $672,690,000 after purchasing an additional 6,720,130 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth about $5,195,415,000. Corient Private Wealth LLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 838.9% during the 4th quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 6,125,405 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $5,282,182,000 after acquiring an additional 5,472,968 shares during the period. Ascentis Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 103,637.0% during the 2nd quarter. Ascentis Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,500,062 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $2,549,616,000 after acquiring an additional 2,497,652 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cardano Risk Management B.V. boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 907.1% during the 4th quarter. Cardano Risk Management B.V. now owns 1,785,080 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,539,346,000 after acquiring an additional 1,607,833 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

COST has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. HC Wainwright restated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Costco Wholesale from a "buy (b)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 23rd. Oppenheimer increased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, May 19th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a "buy" rating and issued a $1,120.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, August 6th. Finally, BTIG Research reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $1,125.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, May 29th. 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 data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,059.53.

Insider Activity

In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the business'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 transaction of $847,343.25. Following the sale, the director directly owned 4,779 shares of the company's stock, valued at $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 1.2%

Shares of COST stock opened at $928.48 on Thursday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week 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. The firm has a market capitalization of $411.76 billion, a PE ratio of 46.70, a PEG ratio of 3.89 and a beta of 0.87. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $944.65 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $978.84.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 24th were issued a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is 29.58%.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Strong sales momentum supports the investment case. Costco reported August net sales of $23.70 billion, up 9.9% year over year. Fourth-quarter sales rose 11.3% to $93.9 billion, while fiscal-year sales increased 10.2% to $297.3 billion. Total comparable sales grew 8.4% for the year, and digitally enabled sales jumped 20.9%. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports August Sales Results
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst sentiment remains favorable. Mizuho reiterated a Buy rating and maintained a $1,100 price target, citing confidence in Costco’s membership-driven growth. Recent analyst targets generally remain above the current trading level, with a reported six-month median target of $1,125. Analyst Reiterates Buy on Costco
• Neutral Sentiment: Calendar effects clouded the monthly comparison. Costco said the later timing of Labor Day reduced August total and comparable sales growth by slightly less than 75 basis points. Underlying performance remained positive, but investors may look for confirmation in the next report.
• Negative Sentiment: Costco Next was abruptly discontinued. The company shut down the online Costco Next marketplace without notice. While the service is unlikely to materially affect near-term financial results, the move could disappoint members and remove a customer-engagement perk. Costco has ended this online service without notice
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory uncertainty increased. The U.S. Department of Justice expanded an investigation into rising beef prices to include Costco and other major retailers. Potential reputational, legal, or margin-related consequences create an overhang, although no wrongdoing has been established. DOJ expands beef price investigation
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation leaves little room for disappointment. Costco trades at roughly 47 times earnings, with a PEG ratio above 4, and shares remain below their 50-day and 200-day moving averages. Insider activity has also consisted of sales rather than purchases in recent months, adding to investor caution.

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.

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.

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