Kentucky Retirement Systems Raises Stock Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Kentucky Retirement Systems boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 29.4% in the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 36,073 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 8,205 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale comprises approximately 1.2% of Kentucky Retirement Systems' investment portfolio, making the stock its 11th biggest holding. Kentucky Retirement Systems' holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $35,944,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.4% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 43,620,717 shares of the retailer's stock worth $37,615,889,000 after buying an additional 165,349 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 10,388,519 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $8,919,573,000 after acquiring an additional 26,690 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.1% in the fourth quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 9,523,423 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $8,212,433,000 after acquiring an additional 107,775 shares during the period. Diamant Asset Management Inc. lifted its holdings in 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 valued at $672,690,000 after acquiring an additional 6,720,130 shares during the period. Finally, Corient Private Wealth LLC boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 838.9% in the 4th quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 6,125,405 shares of the retailer's stock worth $5,282,182,000 after purchasing an additional 5,472,968 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 0.8%

Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $974.03 on Thursday. The business's 50 day moving average price is $958.85 and its 200-day moving average price is $982.10. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,096.50. The firm has a market capitalization of $431.96 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 49.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.67 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.61.

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

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th will be issued 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 payout ratio is presently 29.58%.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco is being highlighted as a relatively safe dividend stock as investors favor companies with resilient demand, recurring membership revenue and a history of profit growth. Its earnings expansion has supported ongoing dividend increases and other capital returns. Why Costco, Verizon, Kroger, and Other Safe Dividend Stocks Are Rising
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s retail partnership with athlete-backed hydration brand Coco5 could add a new health-and-wellness product to its assortment and introduce the brand to millions of members, although the direct financial impact is likely modest initially. Coco5 Signs Retail Partnership with Costco
• Positive Sentiment: A Florida distribution center is now operating with on-site solar generation and battery storage, potentially reducing exposure to grid costs and disruptions while advancing Costco’s sustainability goals. Costco Is Running a Florida Distribution Center Fully Off the Grid
• Neutral Sentiment: The Federal Reserve kept interest rates at 3.5%–3.75%. Stable rates support predictable financing conditions, but the possibility of future policy changes remains important for Costco’s consumer demand and premium valuation. The Fed Held Rates at 3.5%-3.75%
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst comparisons with Walmart focus on Costco’s loyal membership base, digital growth and resilient sales, but also emphasize that COST trades at a richer valuation, leaving less room for disappointment. Walmart vs. Costco: Which Retail Stock Has the Stronger Edge?
• Negative Sentiment: Costco agreed to a $14 million settlement over allegations that emails sent to Washington shoppers used misleading subject lines. Costco denies wrongdoing, but the settlement adds legal expense and reputational risk. Costco’s $14 Million Email Settlement
• Negative Sentiment: Costco reportedly exited its relationship with Synergy CHC, a setback for that supplier and a possible indication of assortment or commercial changes, though the direct effect on Costco appears limited. Synergy CHC Faces Major Setback as Costco Exits
• Negative Sentiment: An animal-rights investigation alleges severe mistreatment and biosecurity violations at an organic chicken supplier connected to Costco. The allegations could increase supply-chain scrutiny and reputational risk if substantiated. Investigation Into Costco Chicken Supplier

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 4,779 shares of the company's stock, 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 filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada began coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, July 13th. They set a "sector perform" rating and a $1,000.00 price objective on the stock. TD Cowen reissued a "buy" rating and set a $1,175.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Costco Wholesale from a "buy (b)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 23rd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,059.07.

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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