Flavin Financial Services Inc. Purchases New Stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Flavin Financial Services acquired 1,887 Costco shares during the second quarter, valued at approximately $1.765 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 68.48% of Costco’s stock.
• Costco shares opened at $925.41, with a market capitalization of about $410.4 billion and a high valuation of 46.55 times earnings. The company recently paid a quarterly dividend of $1.47 per share, equivalent to a 0.6% annual yield.
• Analyst sentiment remains broadly positive, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $1,059.53, although some firms maintain neutral or sell ratings. Costco also faces potential risks from a DOJ inquiry into beef pricing and the shutdown of its Costco Next marketplace.

Flavin Financial Services Inc. acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 1,887 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $1,765,000.

Other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Diamant Asset Management Inc. increased its position in Costco Wholesale by 99,278.0% during the first quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. now owns 6,726,899 shares of the retailer's stock worth $672,690,000 after buying an additional 6,720,130 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth approximately $5,195,415,000. Corient Private Wealth LLC grew its stake in shares of 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 buying an additional 5,472,968 shares during the period. Ascentis Wealth Management LLC grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 103,637.0% during the second 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 period. Finally, Cardano Risk Management B.V. grew 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 worth $1,539,346,000 after purchasing an additional 1,607,833 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 0.3%

NASDAQ COST opened at $925.41 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month 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 stock has a market cap of $410.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.55, a PEG ratio of 3.85 and a beta of 0.86. The firm's 50 day moving average price is $944.31 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $978.18.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 24th were issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. 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 currently 29.58%.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth Denman sold 885 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. This trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Strong August and fiscal-year sales: 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 August and the fiscal year, and digitally enabled sales rose 17.9% for the month and 20.9% for the year. Costco August Sales Results
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts remain constructive: BTIG reaffirmed its Buy rating with a $1,125 price target, while Bank of America maintained a Buy rating and a $1,200 target. These targets imply substantial upside and suggest analysts believe Costco’s membership model and sales momentum support its premium valuation. BTIG Costco Rating
• Neutral Sentiment: Mixed analyst signal: DA Davidson reaffirmed a Neutral rating but lifted its price target to $1,000, indicating limited conviction even while acknowledging potential appreciation.
• Neutral Sentiment: Long-term optimism: Commentary argues Costco could eventually surpass Home Depot and Lowe’s in market value if it sustains membership growth, warehouse expansion and consistent execution. This is a long-range thesis rather than a near-term catalyst. Costco Long-Term Valuation Forecast
• Negative Sentiment: DOJ beef-pricing investigation: The Justice Department is requesting records from Costco and other major retailers regarding beef prices, costs, margins and purchasing strategies. The inquiry creates potential legal, regulatory and operational risks, although no wrongdoing has been established. DOJ Beef Price Inquiry
• Negative Sentiment: Costco Next shutdown: The abrupt ending of the online Costco Next marketplace disappointed some members and raises questions about the company’s digital strategy, though the direct financial effect appears limited. Costco Next Shutdown

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have recently issued reports on COST. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Costco Wholesale from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research report on Wednesday. Roth Capital increased their target price on Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the company a "sell" rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a "buy" rating and set a $1,120.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, August 6th. Truist Financial raised their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Finally, Oppenheimer boosted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 19th. Twenty-one research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,059.53.

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.

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