815 Shares in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Acquired by Evanson Financial LLC

Evanson Financial LLC purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 815 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $763,000.

A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. World Investment Advisors lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 8.4% during the 4th quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 20,081 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $15,835,000 after acquiring an additional 1,560 shares in the last quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas boosted its holdings in 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 acquiring an additional 27,625 shares during the period. Curtis Advisory Group LLC grew its position in 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. Perryman Financial Advisory Inc. AD acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $9,300,000. Finally, Oak Ridge Investments LLC raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 7.3% during the fourth quarter. Oak Ridge Investments LLC now owns 22,117 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $19,072,000 after purchasing an additional 1,496 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Truist Financial boosted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. HC Wainwright reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Weiss Ratings downgraded Costco Wholesale from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 23rd. Finally, UBS Group lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 20th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,059.53.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Strong July sales support the growth narrative. Costco reported July net sales of $23.12 billion, up 10.7% year over year. Sales for the first 48 weeks rose 10.1% to $273.55 billion, suggesting resilient consumer demand and continued momentum across its warehouse business. Comparable sales also increased, a key measure for retail investors. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports July Sales Results
• Positive Sentiment: New warehouse openings are drawing strong customer interest. Reports from the Capital Region and Oconomowoc describe enthusiastic crowds for Costco’s latest locations. Successful openings can expand the membership base, warehouse footprint and long-term sales potential, although the near-term financial contribution is likely limited. New Costco Opens in Oconomowoc to Enthusiastic Shoppers
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s private-label strategy remains influential. Lord & Taylor is reportedly considering a Costco-like approach centered on private-label merchandise, highlighting the strength of Costco’s Kirkland Signature brand and the competitive value of its membership model. Formerly Bankrupt Lord and Taylor Bets on Costco Strategy
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage of a potential business-center expansion and the role of pharmacy operations offers possible strategic upside, but no specific financial impact or firm expansion plan was provided. Costco Business Center Plan
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation is limiting enthusiasm. Analysts and tactical-investing commentary characterize COST as fairly valued or advise patience for a pullback, with one analysis identifying a potential buying range near $820–$860. Costco trades at a high earnings multiple, leaving the stock vulnerable if sales growth slows or results fail to exceed expectations. How Tactical Buyers Should Play Costco Today

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 0.1%

COST stock opened at $947.82 on Friday. 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 has a 50 day simple moving average of $950.51 and a 200-day simple moving average of $982.00. The company has a market capitalization of $420.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.68, a PEG ratio of 4.59 and a beta of 0.87. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) 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). The company had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $4.28 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

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

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other 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 transaction of $847,343.25. Following the transaction, 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 ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

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.