Navigation Group LLC Acquires Shares of 1,501 Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Navigation Group LLC opened a new position in Costco, buying 1,501 shares valued at about $1.5 million in the first quarter. The filing also noted that institutional investors continue to hold a large stake in the retailer overall.
• Costco remains a focus for analysts and commentators: RBC initiated coverage with a $1,000 price target, while the broader analyst consensus is still Moderate Buy with an average target around $1,059.
• The company is still showing solid fundamentals and shareholder returns, but the stock has been trading lower recently. Costco reported quarterly earnings that narrowly missed EPS estimates, and it also declared a $1.47 quarterly dividend payable on August 7.

Navigation Group LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm bought 1,501 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $1,496,000.

A number of other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 750.0% in the 1st quarter. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC now owns 34 shares of the retailer's stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 30 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Entrust Financial LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. 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’s launch of Borealis Foods’ Chef Woo high-protein noodles is drawing strong early member demand, highlighting Costco’s ability to quickly scale trending, health-oriented products and support traffic in its warehouses. Borealis Foods Expands Access to Protein-Rich Chef Woo Noodles Through Costco
• Positive Sentiment: Another report says Costco will open seven new warehouse locations in August, reinforcing the company’s steady expansion strategy and long-term membership growth potential. Costco announces 7 new warehouse locations to open in August
• Positive Sentiment: Royal Bank of Canada initiated coverage with a $1,000 price target, signaling Wall Street still sees upside from current levels despite recent weakness. Costco Wholesale is now covered by Royal Bank Of Canada
• Neutral Sentiment: Several commentary pieces focused on Costco’s dividend, valuation, and reputation as a defensive retailer; these are supportive of the investment case, but they do not appear to be immediate stock-moving catalysts. Here's How Many Shares of Costco Stock You'd Need for $1,000 in Yearly Dividends
• Neutral Sentiment: Other articles praised Costco’s resilience in uncertain consumer conditions and its success in international markets, but these were mainly background/analyst commentary rather than new fundamental developments. Casey’s, Costco, and Other Consumer Stocks for Uncertain Times
• Negative Sentiment: Some coverage noted Costco’s stock has been weak recently and that investors are questioning whether the dip is a buying opportunity, which can keep sentiment cautious in the near term. Costco Stock: Buy the Dip?

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 0.6%

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $916.54 on Thursday. 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 business's fifty day simple moving average is $978.42 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $977.29. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,096.50. The company has a market capitalization of $406.47 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.10, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.46 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results 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). The company had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $4.28 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 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. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is 29.58%.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the sale, the director owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at $4,575,653.55. This represents a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

COST has been the topic of several research reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. DA Davidson reissued a "neutral" rating and set a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, June 4th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,110.00 to $1,100.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, July 9th. Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $1,020.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Roth Capital increased their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the stock a "sell" rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price 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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