NewEdge Advisors LLC Has $145.77 Million Stock Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• NewEdge Advisors increased its Costco stake by 1.9% in the second quarter, bringing its holdings to 155,824 shares valued at approximately $145.77 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company.
• Analysts maintain a generally positive outlook, with Costco receiving a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating and an average price target of $1,056.03; 22 analysts rate it Buy, 12 Hold, and one Sell.
• Costco shares opened at $918.91, while the company pays a quarterly dividend of $1.47, equivalent to a 0.6% annualized yield. Its premium valuation, with a P/E ratio of 46.22, leaves the stock sensitive to upcoming sales, membership and earnings results.

NewEdge Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 1.9% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 155,824 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 2,874 shares during the period. NewEdge Advisors LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $145,767,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Kranot Hishtalmut Le Morim Tichoniim Havera Menahelet LTD grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 119.7% in the second quarter. Kranot Hishtalmut Le Morim Tichoniim Havera Menahelet LTD now owns 8,670 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $8,111,000 after purchasing an additional 4,723 shares in the last quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% during the 2nd quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 622,012 shares of the retailer's stock worth $581,873,000 after purchasing an additional 6,864 shares in the last quarter. Stableford Capital II LLC raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 9.3% during the 2nd quarter. Stableford Capital II LLC now owns 1,247 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,167,000 after purchasing an additional 106 shares in the last quarter. BayBridge Capital Group LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 4.8% in the 2nd quarter. BayBridge Capital Group LLC now owns 1,828 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,710,000 after buying an additional 83 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Connective Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1,790.1% in the 2nd quarter. Connective Capital Management LLC now owns 5,935 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $5,552,000 after buying an additional 5,621 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other news, Director Kenneth Denman sold 885 shares of the firm'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 completion of the sale, the director 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 transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Freedom Broker upgraded shares of Costco Wholesale from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $1,030.00 target price on the stock in a report on Tuesday, September 8th. TD Cowen reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $1,175.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Wednesday, June 3rd. Truist Financial lifted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, June 18th. They set a "neutral" rating and a $1,020.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, 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. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,056.03.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Dividend increase supports the investment case. Costco recently raised its dividend by 13%, reinforcing confidence in cash generation and adding to the appeal of the membership-based retailer, although the regular yield remains modest and special dividends can make the headline payout appear higher. Costco dividend article
• Positive Sentiment: Long-term business fundamentals remain a bullish backdrop. Analysts and commentators continue to point to Costco’s scale, limited product assortment, purchasing advantages and resilient same-store sales as reasons the stock could recover after trailing the S&P 500 and trading below its 52-week high. Fourth-quarter results, expected later this month, are the next major potential catalyst. Costco earnings preview
• Neutral Sentiment: Motor-oil pricing reflects supply pressures rather than a company-specific demand problem. Costco raised the price of a 10-quart case of Kirkland Signature full-synthetic motor oil to $57.99 and limited purchases to two cases per member per week. The changes follow higher crude-oil prices and supply disruptions linked to Middle East tensions and Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline closure. Higher prices may protect margins, but the restrictions could affect customer sentiment. Costco motor oil article
• Negative Sentiment: Rationing and sharply higher prices create reputational and traffic risks. Reports that Costco has also capped purchases of Mobil 1 oil—and that some motor-oil prices have risen substantially from last year—evoke earlier pandemic-era product shortages. While the merchandise is a small portion of revenue, frustrated members could view the move negatively or defer purchases. Costco motor oil rationing article
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation leaves limited room for disappointment. Costco trades at a premium earnings multiple, so investors may require strong sales, membership trends and profit guidance from the upcoming report to justify the valuation. Rising merchandise and operating costs could pressure margins if Costco cannot pass them through broadly. Costco stock performance article

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 1.6%

COST opened at $918.91 on Tuesday. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is $939.46 and its 200 day simple moving average is $973.86. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,096.50. The stock has a market cap of $407.52 billion, a PE ratio of 46.22, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.77 and a beta of 0.86. 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 Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th were issued a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 24th. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is currently 29.58%.

Costco Wholesale 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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