Private Advisor Group LLC Sells 2,048 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Private Advisor Group LLC trimmed its Costco stake by 2.6% in the first quarter, selling 2,048 shares and still holding 75,972 shares valued at about $75.7 million.
• Wall Street sentiment remains generally positive: Costco has 22 Buy ratings, 11 Hold ratings and one Sell rating, with an average price target of $1,061.45 and a “Moderate Buy” consensus.
• Costco recently reported quarterly earnings of $4.93 per share, narrowly missing estimates, while revenue came in at $70.53 billion; the company also raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share from $1.30.

Private Advisor Group LLC lowered its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 2.6% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 75,972 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 2,048 shares during the period. Private Advisor Group LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $75,700,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. FORA Capital LLC purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at about $2,781,000. World Investment Advisors boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 8.4% in the 4th quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 20,081 shares of the retailer's stock worth $15,835,000 after buying an additional 1,560 shares during the last quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 24.5% in the 4th quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 140,429 shares of the retailer's stock worth $121,098,000 after buying an additional 27,625 shares during the last quarter. Curtis Advisory Group LLC grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 56.7% in the fourth quarter. Curtis Advisory Group LLC now owns 4,535 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $3,911,000 after acquiring an additional 1,641 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Perryman Financial Advisory Inc. AD bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $9,300,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages recently commented on COST. Citigroup assumed coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. They set a "neutral" rating and a $1,020.00 price target for the company. Mizuho set a $1,100.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Raymond James Financial raised their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. HC Wainwright reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Finally, Weiss Ratings cut Costco Wholesale from a "buy (b)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 23rd. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,061.45.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ:COST opened at $951.67 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,096.50. 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 firm's 50 day moving average is $990.38 and its 200 day moving average is $972.57. The stock has a market capitalization of $422.05 billion, a PE ratio of 47.87, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.61 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data 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). Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. The firm had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $4.28 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st were paid a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is currently 29.58%.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In related 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 value of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 4,779 shares of the company's stock, 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 hyperlink. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

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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