Rakuten Investment Management Inc. Makes New Investment in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Rakuten Investment Management acquired 106,891 Costco shares during the second quarter, valued at approximately $101.2 million and representing about 0.3% of its portfolio. Institutional investors collectively own 68.48% of Costco.
• Analyst sentiment remains favorable, with 21 Buy, 12 Hold, and one Sell rating; MarketBeat reports a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $1,056.90.
• Costco shares opened at $915.74, while the company pays a quarterly dividend of $1.47, or $5.88 annually, for a 0.6% yield. Director Kenneth Denman separately sold 885 shares worth about $847,000.

Rakuten Investment Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 106,891 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $101,192,000. Costco Wholesale accounts for about 0.3% of Rakuten Investment Management Inc.'s investment portfolio, making the stock its 21st biggest holding.

A number of other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at about $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. C M Bidwell & Associates Ltd. acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, Burk Holdings LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $30,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts recently commented on COST shares. Royal Bank Of Canada began coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, July 13th. They issued a "sector perform" rating and a $1,000.00 target price for the company. UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of 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. Sanford C. Bernstein set a $1,144.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Costco Wholesale from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a report on Wednesday, September 2nd. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-one investment 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. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,056.90.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Kenneth Denman sold 885 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total value of $847,343.25. Following the sale, the director owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of COST stock opened at $915.74 on Tuesday. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is $942.96 and its 200 day simple moving average is $976.78. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.61. The firm has a market cap of $406.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.06, a P/E/G ratio of 3.80 and a beta of 0.86. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,096.50.

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 dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 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’s fourth-quarter net sales increased 11.3% year over year to $93.9 billion. Digitally enabled comparable sales rose 19.5%, substantially outpacing overall growth and highlighting continued momentum in e-commerce and omnichannel shopping. Costco's Q4 Sales Rise 11.3% as Digital Momentum Remains Strong
• Positive Sentiment: August sales remained robust: Costco reported a 9.9% year-over-year increase in August sales, driven by strong U.S. comparable-store performance and record digital growth. The update gives investors further evidence that membership and customer traffic remain resilient. Costco Reports Double-Digit Growth in August 2026 Sales
• Neutral Sentiment: Holiday closures are routine: Costco closed its U.S. warehouses for Labor Day, consistent with its long-standing policy of shutting stores on seven holidays annually. The practice may reinforce the company’s employee-focused culture but has no meaningful near-term earnings impact. Most national retailers close on 2 holidays. Costco shuts down for 7.
• Neutral Sentiment: Membership loyalty remains a theme: Coverage of members with decades-long Costco relationships underscores the strength of the retailer’s recurring membership model, though it provides limited new financial information. What Happens If You Are A Costco Member For Over 40 Years?
• Negative Sentiment: Supplier relationship risk: The loss of a Costco distribution deal contributed to a functional-beverage company’s Chapter 11 filing. This is not a direct financial threat to Costco, but it highlights the importance—and potential volatility—of major retail partnerships. Loss of Costco deal helps push beverage brand into Chapter 11

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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