First Bank & Trust Sells 1,706 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• First Bank & Trust reduced its Costco stake by 21.6%, selling 1,706 shares and retaining 6,210 shares valued at approximately $5.8 million. Costco represents 0.9% of the firm’s portfolio, while institutional investors collectively own 68.48% of the stock.
• Costco reported strong July performance, with net sales rising 10.7% year over year to $23.12 billion and comparable sales increasing 8.9%. The results point to resilient consumer demand and continued traffic strength.
• Despite mostly bullish analyst coverage and a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating, Costco’s shares trade at a premium valuation near 48 times earnings. Investors are monitoring whether sales momentum can continue after the company’s latest quarterly EPS slightly missed estimates.

First Bank & Trust cut its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 21.6% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 6,210 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 1,706 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale makes up 0.9% of First Bank & Trust's portfolio, making the stock its 19th largest holding. First Bank & Trust's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $5,809,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in COST. Palisade Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.4% during the 4th quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC now owns 702 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $605,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. now owns 3,194 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,754,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. Wealth Effects LLC grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.2% during the first quarter. Wealth Effects LLC now owns 874 shares of the retailer's stock worth $871,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.8% during the first quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. now owns 551 shares of the retailer's stock worth $549,000 after buying an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Finally, First National Bank of Hutchinson increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.9% during the first quarter. First National Bank of Hutchinson now owns 1,098 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,094,000 after buying an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco reported July net sales of $23.12 billion, up 10.7% year over year. Comparable sales increased 8.9% overall and 10.3% in the United States, indicating resilient consumer demand and continued traffic strength. Costco Delivered Another Strong Sales Print in July
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts highlighted Costco’s value-focused pricing, quality merchandise, broad warehouse footprint and strong digitally enabled sales as advantages in a cautious consumer environment. The results suggest momentum could continue into the second half of the year. Can Costco Keep Its Sales Momentum Going After a Solid July?
• Positive Sentiment: Costco may add another warehouse in North Texas, signaling continued investment in store expansion. More locations could increase membership growth, sales and operating scale, although the potential site is not yet confirmed. Costco May Add Another Store in North Texas
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage of Costco’s rapid store construction points to an efficient expansion process, potentially helping the company open warehouses faster and capture demand, though it does not represent a new financial result. The Secret Behind Why Costco Stores Get Built So Fast
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage continues to emphasize Costco’s membership strength and growth opportunities, but the shares remain valued at a premium. Costco’s roughly 48 price-to-earnings ratio leaves less room for disappointment if sales growth slows or margins weaken. Top Analyst Reports for Costco, Chevron and Home Depot
• Negative Sentiment: Investors are still watching whether Costco can sustain its rapid sales pace after July. Its recent quarterly EPS slightly missed estimates, adding sensitivity to the upcoming earnings report despite a revenue beat. Can Costco Keep Its Sales Momentum Going After a Solid July?

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total value of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at $4,575,653.55. This trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on COST shares. Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,192.00 to $1,194.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. TD Cowen restated a "buy" rating and set a $1,175.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Roth Capital raised their price target on Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the company a "sell" rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Finally, UBS Group boosted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 20th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,059.53.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of COST stock opened at $952.75 on Tuesday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year 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 firm's 50 day moving average is $950.64 and its 200-day moving average is $982.05. The firm has a market capitalization of $422.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.93, a PEG ratio of 4.51 and a beta of 0.87.

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

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 24th 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, July 24th. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is 29.58%.

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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