Moran Wealth Management LLC Grows Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Moran Wealth Management increased its Costco position by 21.2% in the first quarter, buying 2,674 additional shares and bringing its stake to 15,298 shares worth about $15.24 million.
• Institutional ownership remains high, with 68.48% of Costco stock held by institutional investors, while several other hedge funds also recently initiated new positions.
• Analysts remain broadly positive on Costco, with 22 Buy ratings and an average Moderate Buy consensus price target of $1,061.45, even as the stock trades at a premium valuation.

Moran Wealth Management LLC increased its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 21.2% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 15,298 shares of the retailer's stock after buying an additional 2,674 shares during the quarter. Moran Wealth Management LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $15,243,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at about $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth about $31,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth about $33,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

COST has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Telsey Advisory Group boosted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. HC Wainwright reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,192.00 to $1,194.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Weiss Ratings lowered Costco Wholesale from a "buy (b)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 23rd. Finally, TD Cowen reissued a "buy" rating and set a $1,175.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Wednesday, June 3rd. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,061.45.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco is expanding its footprint with several new warehouse openings and planned locations across the U.S., which could support membership growth and future revenue. Costco to Open New Stores Across the U.S.: Full List of Locations
• Positive Sentiment: New store approvals in California and other regions suggest Costco’s growth runway remains intact, even if some local residents are pushing back. New Costco approved in California, but some locals say location is 'unnecessary'
• Positive Sentiment: Costco began alcohol sales at a Pennsylvania store, another example of incremental in-store offerings that can increase traffic and basket size. Costco Wholesale begins alcohol sales at Pennsylvania store
• Neutral Sentiment: Articles on a possible special dividend and a potential stock split are mostly speculative; they may interest shareholders, but they do not appear to be the main near-term driver of the stock. Will Costco Pay a Special Dividend in 2026? Here's What History Says.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts and commentators continue to debate Costco’s valuation, noting strong long-term returns but also that the stock looks expensive on earnings, which can cap upside. Costco (COST) Stock Looks Strong On Returns But Expensive On Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: One recent analysis said Costco’s growth engine may be losing momentum as lower fuel prices could reduce a key traffic driver and create execution risk for the stock. Costco’s secret growth engine may be running out of gas
• Negative Sentiment: Another report highlighted that Costco has underperformed the broader market over the past three months, reflecting investor concern about its premium valuation. Why Costco Stock (COST) Underperformed the S&P 500 Over the Past 3 Months

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the company'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 transaction, the director owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. This represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of COST opened at $951.67 on Friday. The firm's 50-day moving average price is $990.38 and its 200-day moving average price is $972.57. The firm has a market capitalization of $422.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.87, a PEG ratio of 4.61 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.94 by ($0.01). Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. The company had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $4.28 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st were issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 29.58%.

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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