Trust Co. of Vermont Buys New Stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Trust Co. of Vermont bought 52,299 Costco shares during the second quarter, valued at approximately $48.9 million and representing about 1.8% of its portfolio.
• Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of Costco’s stock, while an insider recently sold 885 shares for roughly $847,000.
• Costco shares traded near $945, with a market value of about $419.3 billion. The company reported a slight quarterly EPS miss despite exceeding revenue estimates, paid a $1.47 quarterly dividend, and analysts maintained a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target of $1,059.53.

Trust Co. of Vermont bought a new position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm bought 52,299 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $48,924,000. Costco Wholesale accounts for about 1.8% of Trust Co. of Vermont's portfolio, making the stock its 12th biggest position.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of COST. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth about $28,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 750.0% in the 1st quarter. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC now owns 34 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $34,000 after buying an additional 30 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total value of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 4,779 shares of the company's stock, valued at $4,575,653.55. This 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 this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 1.2%

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $945.47 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $419.30 billion, a PE ratio of 47.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.45 and a beta of 0.87. 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 company's fifty day moving average price is $945.80 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $979.92. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $4.28 earnings per share. On average, analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Investors of record on Friday, July 24th were paid a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is presently 29.58%.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have recently commented on the company. BTIG Research reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $1,125.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, May 29th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective 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. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Costco Wholesale from a "buy (b)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 23rd. Oppenheimer lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 19th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,110.00 to $1,100.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, July 9th. Twenty-two equities 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's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,059.53.

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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