Osborne Partners Capital Management LLC Sells 1,771 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Osborne Partners Capital Management reduced its Costco position by 14.3% in Q1, selling 1,771 shares and leaving it with 10,656 shares worth about $10.6 million.
• Costco’s latest quarterly earnings slightly missed EPS estimates at $4.93 versus $4.94 expected, though revenue came in above forecasts at $70.53 billion.
• Analysts remain broadly positive, with 22 Buy ratings and an average price target of $1,061.45, while Costco also recently raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share.

Osborne Partners Capital Management LLC lessened its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 14.3% in the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 10,656 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 1,771 shares during the quarter. Osborne Partners Capital Management LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $10,618,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of COST. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth $33,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction dated 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 in the company, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. This trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on COST shares. BMO Capital Markets raised their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Truist Financial boosted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. UBS Group raised their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 20th. Finally, Roth Mkm lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the company a "sell" rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,061.45.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

COST opened at $951.67 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $422.05 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.87, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.61 and a beta of 0.88. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,096.50. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $990.38 and a 200-day moving average price of $972.57. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.61.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.During the same quarter last year, the business posted $4.28 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st were issued a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is 29.58%.

Key Headlines Impacting 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

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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