Lmcg Investments LLC Increases Stock Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Lmcg Investments LLC increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 29.3% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 11,532 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 2,615 shares during the period. Lmcg Investments LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $11,491,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Penobscot Investment Management Company Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 4.4% during the 1st quarter. Penobscot Investment Management Company Inc. now owns 23,664 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $23,579,000 after purchasing an additional 987 shares during the last quarter. Richmond Investment Services LLC grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 11.9% in the first quarter. Richmond Investment Services LLC now owns 600 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $598,000 after purchasing an additional 64 shares during the last quarter. Axxcess Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 4.1% in the first quarter. Axxcess Wealth Management LLC now owns 18,150 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $18,085,000 after purchasing an additional 711 shares in the last quarter. Cvfg LLC raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 212.3% in the first quarter. Cvfg LLC now owns 1,830 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,824,000 after purchasing an additional 1,244 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Saxon Interests Inc. lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 4.5% during the first quarter. Saxon Interests Inc. now owns 487 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $485,000 after buying an additional 21 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco reported strong June sales of $29.24 billion, signaling continued momentum in its core business and supporting the stock’s defensive growth story. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports June Sales Results and Announces Quarterly Cash Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: William Blair reiterated a Buy rating, citing resilient traffic and Costco’s defensive positioning despite temporary headwinds, which adds to bullish sentiment around the shares. Analyst Maintains Buy on Costco, Citing Resilient Traffic and Defensive Positioning Despite Transient Headwinds
• Positive Sentiment: Costco also announced its quarterly cash dividend alongside the sales update, reinforcing its shareholder-return profile. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports June Sales Results and Announces Quarterly Cash Dividend
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader commentary about Costco as a blue-chip, quality retail name may be helping support investor interest, but it is not a direct company-specific catalyst. 3 Blue-Chip Retail Stocks to Trust as Volatility Favors Quality
• Negative Sentiment: A consumer lawsuit alleging Costco sold Orgain protein supplements contaminated with heavy metals could create some headline risk, though it appears less impactful than the strong sales news. Hagens Berman: Consumer Lawsuit Against Costco Alleges Toxic Heavy Metals in Orgain Protein Supplements

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $953.13 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $422.69 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.94, a PEG ratio of 4.59 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $986.93 and a 200 day moving average price of $975.26. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its earnings results 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 return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.The company had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $70.12 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $4.28 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 24th will be issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is 29.58%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

COST has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Costco Wholesale from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Tuesday, June 23rd. UBS Group increased their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 20th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Bank of America lifted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Finally, Citigroup started coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $1,020.00 price target on the stock. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,061.45.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total value of $847,343.25. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 4,779 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,575,653.55. This represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

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.