New Mexico Educational Retirement Board Buys 1,900 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• New Mexico Educational Retirement Board increased its Costco stake by 9.4% in the second quarter, purchasing 1,900 additional shares for a total of 22,065 shares valued at approximately $20.6 million. Institutional investors collectively own 68.48% of Costco’s stock.
• Costco recently paid a quarterly dividend of $1.47 per share, equal to $5.88 annually and a 0.6% yield, with a 29.58% payout ratio.
• Shares opened at $910.18, below their 50-day and 200-day moving averages, while analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $1,056.03. Costco’s valuation remains elevated, with a price-to-earnings ratio above 45.

New Mexico Educational Retirement Board grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 9.4% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 22,065 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 1,900 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale makes up approximately 0.5% of New Mexico Educational Retirement Board's portfolio, making the stock its 26th biggest position. New Mexico Educational Retirement Board's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $20,641,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Brighton Jones LLC raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 12.3% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 19,825 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $18,165,000 after purchasing an additional 2,172 shares during the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 13.1% in the 4th quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,123 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,029,000 after buying an additional 130 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 4.5% in the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 3,853 shares of the retailer's stock worth $3,814,000 after buying an additional 165 shares during the last quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% during the second quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. now owns 2,110 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $2,089,000 after buying an additional 23 shares during the period. Finally, Schnieders Capital Management LLC. increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.2% during the second quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 8,502 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $8,416,000 after buying an additional 182 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

COST opened at $910.18 on Wednesday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $942.45 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $976.18. 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 company has a market cap of $403.65 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 45.78, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.80 and a beta of 0.86. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Investors of record on Friday, July 24th were given a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 24th. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 29.58%.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Strong fourth-quarter sales: Costco reported fourth-quarter net sales of $93.9 billion, up 11.3% year over year. Digitally enabled comparable sales increased 19.5%, suggesting e-commerce and omnichannel initiatives remain important growth drivers. Costco's Q4 Sales Rise 11.3% as Digital Momentum Remains Strong
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade: Freedom Broker raised Costco from “hold” to “buy” and established a $1,030 price target, implying meaningful potential upside from recent trading levels. However, the upgrade has not yet overcome broader selling pressure. Costco Stock Falls Despite Freedom Broker Upgrade to Buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Returns and liquidation operations: Reports that Costco resells some returned merchandise through liquidation and B-stock auctions provide additional context on its inventory practices. The activity appears operational rather than a major new earnings catalyst, although it may help recover value from returned goods. How Costco Resells Items Returned Under Its Satisfaction Guarantee Policy
• Negative Sentiment: Premium valuation and competitive concerns: Costco’s recent underperformance has renewed debate over whether its high valuation is justified. Jim Cramer argued that the retailer may have lost some of its edge, while other commentary points to competition from discount stores. With a price-to-earnings ratio above 45, investors may be particularly sensitive to any slowdown in growth or membership appeal. Cramer Warns Costco May Have Lost Its Edge
• Negative Sentiment: Supplier bankruptcy headline: The loss of a Costco distribution deal contributed to a beverage brand’s Chapter 11 filing. This is not a direct financial threat to Costco, but it highlights vendor and product-selection risks within its merchandise ecosystem. Loss of Costco Deal Helps Push Beverage Brand Into Chapter 11

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In related news, Director Kenneth Denman sold 885 shares of the business's 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 sale, the director owned 4,779 shares of the company's stock, valued at $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

COST has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Weiss Ratings downgraded Costco Wholesale from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a report on Wednesday, September 2nd. Guggenheim reissued a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Bank of America upped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $1,091.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday. Finally, Oppenheimer lifted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 19th. Twenty-two equities 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, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,056.03.

Costco Wholesale Company Profile

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates membership-based warehouse clubs that offer a broad selection of merchandise at generally competitive prices. Its product range includes groceries, fresh foods, apparel, appliances, electronics, furniture, jewelry, hardware, and seasonal goods, along with private-label products sold under the Kirkland Signature brand.

The company also provides a variety of ancillary services, including gasoline stations, pharmacies, optical centers, hearing-aid centers, food courts, tire centers, and travel services.

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