Petra Financial Advisors Inc. reduced its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST – Free Report) by 31.9% in the first quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 1,226 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 573 shares during the quarter. Petra Financial Advisors Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $1,222,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Several other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in COST. World Investment Advisors boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 8.4% during the fourth 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 increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 24.5% in the fourth quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 140,429 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $121,098,000 after purchasing an additional 27,625 shares in the last quarter. Curtis Advisory Group LLC increased its stake 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 purchasing an additional 1,641 shares in the last quarter. Perryman Financial Advisory Inc. AD acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at about $9,300,000. Finally, Oak Ridge Investments LLC raised its holdings 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. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several analysts have recently commented on COST shares. Truist Financial raised their target price on Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Oppenheimer upped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 19th. Weiss Ratings downgraded Costco Wholesale from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 23rd. BTIG Research reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $1,125.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Finally, HC Wainwright reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,059.07.
Costco Wholesale Stock Down 0.7%
Costco Wholesale stock opened at $929.22 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $412.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.74, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.52 and a beta of 0.88. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $972.60 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $979.28. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,096.50. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17.
Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 EPS 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 business had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm 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 declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th will be paid a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date is 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 29.58%.
Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale
In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 of the company’s stock, 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 SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.
Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale
Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Costco is being praised for its long runway for expansion, with analysts pointing to plans for 26 net-new warehouses in fiscal 2026 and a broader international pipeline. Why Costco’s Warehouse Growth Story Is Far From Over
- Positive Sentiment: New store-opening reports, including more locations coming in 2026 and a new Clarksville site, reinforce Costco’s continued footprint expansion and should support revenue growth expectations. 8 more Costco stores are coming in 2026. Is Ohio getting one? Costco coming to Freedom Farms in Clarksville
- Positive Sentiment: Costco’s pharmacy and prescription-service expansion could make memberships more valuable and increase customer loyalty and visit frequency. Costco expands pharmacy, prescription services for members
- Positive Sentiment: Coverage around new premium items, such as Laifen hair dryers in stores, suggests Costco is still expanding its product assortment and strengthening its appeal to higher-spending members. Costco (COST) Brings Laifen Hair Dryer To Stores In Its Biggest US Retail Push
- Neutral Sentiment: Several articles framed Costco as a strong long-term compounder and a potential future trillion-dollar company, which is supportive sentiment but not a near-term catalyst. Prediction: Costco Will Join the $1 Trillion Club by 2033
- Neutral Sentiment: Other commentary focused on Costco as a high-quality dividend or retirement holding, while also noting valuation concerns versus peers; this keeps the stock in the spotlight but does not change the business outlook immediately. Costco Is a Compelling Investment Opportunity, but This Stock Could Be an Even Better Buy Costco Is a No-Brainer Buy for Retirement Investors Right Now
- Negative Sentiment: Some coverage highlighted that COST has pulled back from recent highs and remains expensive on earnings metrics, which may be weighing on near-term trading. Price Prediction: Will Costco Hit a New-High This Year?
- Negative Sentiment: One report noted the stock edged lower even as Costco reportedly plans standalone gas stations, suggesting investors may be taking a cautious approach to the expansion news. Costco Stock (COST) Drops despite Bet on Stand-Alone Gas Stations in Sales Push
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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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding COST? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST – Free Report).
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