Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Acquired by Kentucky Retirement Systems

Kentucky Retirement Systems grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 29.4% in the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 36,073 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 8,205 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale makes up 1.2% of Kentucky Retirement Systems’ holdings, making the stock its 11th biggest holding. Kentucky Retirement Systems’ holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $35,944,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Palisade Asset Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.4% in the fourth quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC now owns 702 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $605,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% during the 4th quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. now owns 3,194 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,754,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Wealth Effects LLC grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.2% during the 1st quarter. Wealth Effects LLC now owns 874 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $871,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.8% during the 1st quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. now owns 551 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $549,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares during the period. Finally, First National Bank of Hutchinson raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.9% in the 1st quarter. First National Bank of Hutchinson now owns 1,098 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,094,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco is being highlighted as a relatively safe dividend stock as investors favor companies with resilient demand, recurring membership revenue and a history of profit growth. Its earnings expansion has supported ongoing dividend increases and other capital returns. Why Costco, Verizon, Kroger, and Other Safe Dividend Stocks Are Rising
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s retail partnership with athlete-backed hydration brand Coco5 could add a new health-and-wellness product to its assortment and introduce the brand to millions of members, although the direct financial impact is likely modest initially. Coco5 Signs Retail Partnership with Costco
• Positive Sentiment: A Florida distribution center is now operating with on-site solar generation and battery storage, potentially reducing exposure to grid costs and disruptions while advancing Costco’s sustainability goals. Costco Is Running a Florida Distribution Center Fully Off the Grid
• Neutral Sentiment: The Federal Reserve kept interest rates at 3.5%–3.75%. Stable rates support predictable financing conditions, but the possibility of future policy changes remains important for Costco’s consumer demand and premium valuation. The Fed Held Rates at 3.5%-3.75%
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst comparisons with Walmart focus on Costco’s loyal membership base, digital growth and resilient sales, but also emphasize that COST trades at a richer valuation, leaving less room for disappointment. Walmart vs. Costco: Which Retail Stock Has the Stronger Edge?
• Negative Sentiment: Costco agreed to a $14 million settlement over allegations that emails sent to Washington shoppers used misleading subject lines. Costco denies wrongdoing, but the settlement adds legal expense and reputational risk. Costco’s $14 Million Email Settlement
• Negative Sentiment: Costco reportedly exited its relationship with Synergy CHC, a setback for that supplier and a possible indication of assortment or commercial changes, though the direct effect on Costco appears limited. Synergy CHC Faces Major Setback as Costco Exits
• Negative Sentiment: An animal-rights investigation alleges severe mistreatment and biosecurity violations at an organic chicken supplier connected to Costco. The allegations could increase supply-chain scrutiny and reputational risk if substantiated. Investigation Into Costco Chicken Supplier

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have recently issued reports on COST. Telsey Advisory Group lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. HC Wainwright reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. Citigroup started coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, June 18th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $1,020.00 price target for the company. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Costco Wholesale from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Tuesday, June 23rd. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada initiated coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, July 13th. They issued a “sector perform” rating and a $1,000.00 price objective on the stock. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,059.07.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were 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 trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $974.03 on Thursday. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $958.85 and its 200-day simple moving average is $982.10. The firm has a market capitalization of $431.96 billion, a PE ratio of 49.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.67 and a beta of 0.88. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two 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) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). The business 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 last year, the company earned $4.28 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

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

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.