Ritholtz Wealth Management Boosts Stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Ritholtz Wealth Management increased its Costco stake by 10.6% in the first quarter, adding 2,256 shares and bringing its position to 23,487 shares valued at about $23.4 million.
• Analysts remain broadly positive on Costco, with 22 Buy ratings and a consensus Moderate Buy rating. The average price target stands at $1,061.45, even as some firms recently adjusted their targets upward or reaffirmed neutral views.
• Costco recently reported fiscal-quarter EPS of $4.93, just below estimates, while revenue of $70.53 billion topped expectations. The company also raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share from $1.30.

Ritholtz Wealth Management boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 10.6% during the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 23,487 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 2,256 shares during the quarter. Ritholtz Wealth Management's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $23,403,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Lbmc Investment Advisors LLC lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.5% during the fourth quarter. Lbmc Investment Advisors LLC now owns 2,041 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,760,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. now owns 3,194 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,754,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.4% during the 4th quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC now owns 702 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $605,000 after buying an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Graney & King LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 6.8% during the 2nd quarter. Graney & King LLC now owns 173 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $171,000 after buying an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Seneschal Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.4% during the 2nd quarter. Seneschal Advisors LLC now owns 3,142 shares of the retailer's stock worth $3,110,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts recently commented on the company. Evercore set a $1,100.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. DA Davidson reaffirmed a "neutral" rating and set a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, June 4th. UBS Group upped their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 20th. TD Cowen reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $1,175.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group increased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 10th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,061.45.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the 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 directly owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at $4,575,653.55. This represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

COST stock opened at $942.24 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $417.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.40, a P/E/G ratio of 4.65 and a beta of 0.88. The firm's fifty day moving average is $996.71 and its 200 day moving average is $970.66. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,096.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.07.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share (EPS) 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 business had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $4.28 earnings per share. Research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

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

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Several bullish articles highlighted Costco’s resilient membership model, strong sales growth, high renewal rates, and ongoing global expansion, reinforcing the view that the business remains fundamentally solid. Costco Just Posted 12% Sales Growth and 92% Membership Renewals, and the Stock Fell Anyway. Is This the Buy-the-Dip Moment?
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentary pieces suggested Costco may have further upside, with some citing a path back toward $1,000 per share and broader appeal as a defensive retailer in volatile markets. Costco Stock Price Prediction: A Path to $1,000 and Double-Digit Upside
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage around Costco’s cash generation raised the possibility of another special dividend later in 2026, which could be an additional catalyst for income-focused investors. Costco's Cash Pile Is Building. Is a Special Dividend Coming in the Second Half of 2026?
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco was also mentioned in store-opening and local expansion stories, which point to continued growth but do not appear to be major immediate stock catalysts. Costco is opening 2 new locations this week. See where
• Neutral Sentiment: A director, Kenneth D. Denman, sold 885 shares in a disclosed SEC filing. The sale was relatively small versus his remaining stake, but insider selling can still weigh on sentiment. SEC filing for Kenneth D. Denman transaction
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data showed no meaningful short position in the shares, so this report does not suggest a major bearish thesis.
• Negative Sentiment: Broader market commentary noted Costco’s stock has been under pressure recently despite solid fundamentals, suggesting valuation concerns and profit-taking may be limiting near-term upside. Costco Just Posted 12% Sales Growth and 92% Membership Renewals, and the Stock Fell Anyway. Is This the Buy-the-Dip Moment?

About Costco Wholesale

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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