NewEdge Wealth LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm bought 35,420 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $33,134,000.
A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at $31,000. Finally, Manning & Napier Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 750.0% in the first quarter. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC now owns 34 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 30 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
Analyst Ratings Changes
Several research analysts have commented on the company. Citigroup started coverage on Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, June 18th. They set a "neutral" rating and a $1,020.00 target price on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $1,120.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, August 6th. UBS Group raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 20th. Guggenheim reaffirmed a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Finally, Oppenheimer upped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, May 19th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,059.53.
Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Costco Wholesale
Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale
In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the firm'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 completion of the sale, 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 transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
Costco Wholesale Price Performance
COST stock opened at $945.47 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $419.30 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.56, a PEG ratio of 4.50 and a beta of 0.87. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,096.50. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $945.80 and its 200 day simple moving average is $979.80.
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 analysts' consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.The business had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $4.28 earnings per share. On average, analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 earnings per share for the current year.
Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement
The firm also recently announced 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. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is presently 29.58%.
Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale
Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Delivery expansion could boost engagement: Costco is now offering delivery for customizable sheet cakes and party platters, improving convenience and potentially encouraging larger, higher-margin event-related purchases. Costco delivery for cakes and party platters
- Positive Sentiment: Physical expansion continues: Costco opened its first warehouse in Celina, Texas, one of the nation’s fastest-growing cities. New locations can add membership revenue and sales over time, although the financial contribution will develop gradually. Costco opens Celina store
- Positive Sentiment: Long-term investor appeal remains intact: Commentary highlights Costco’s strong competitive moat, membership economics and potential for dividend growth. Its partnership with SCAN Health Plan to offer Medicare Advantage and supplemental plans also provides a potential new customer-engagement channel. Costco Medicare partnership
- Neutral Sentiment: Pricing strategy is both a strength and a challenge: Costco continues to hold its iconic rotisserie chicken at $4.99 by controlling production costs. The price reinforces customer loyalty, but inflation and supply costs could pressure margins if the company maintains the price indefinitely. Costco rotisserie chicken and inflation
- Negative Sentiment: Legal and valuation concerns are weighing on sentiment: Costco is refunding certain tariff duties while contesting a related class-action lawsuit, creating uncertainty over costs and potential liabilities. Separately, the stock’s high earnings multiple and position below its 200-day moving average leave it vulnerable to profit-taking; its latest quarterly EPS narrowly missed estimates despite a revenue beat. Costco tariff refunds and lawsuit
Costco Wholesale Profile
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Free Report)
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.
See Also
Want to see what other hedge funds are holding COST? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report).

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