Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Sold by Renaissance Technologies LLC

Renaissance Technologies LLC cut its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 97.2% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 19,456 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 673,546 shares during the quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $19,387,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 750.0% in the first quarter. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC now owns 34 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $34,000 after acquiring an additional 30 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth about $31,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated 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 owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. This represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $955.17 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 company has a market capitalization of $423.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.71 and a beta of 0.88. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,096.50. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $956.95 and a 200-day simple moving average of $982.32.

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

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 7th. Investors 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 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is currently 29.58%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

COST has been the topic of several research reports. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Truist Financial increased their price objective 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. Oppenheimer lifted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 19th. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Costco Wholesale from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 23rd. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada assumed coverage on Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, July 13th. They issued a “sector perform” rating and a $1,000.00 price target for the company. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,059.07.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco is reportedly testing a new gasoline-sales strategy that could expand fuel-related revenue and potentially make gas stations a more meaningful contributor to the company’s business model. The long-term opportunity could support investor interest if the experiment improves traffic, margins, or membership economics. Costco: A New Experiment With Gasoline Sales Could Fundamentally Transform The Company
• Positive Sentiment: Costco continues to receive favorable momentum coverage, supported by its loyal membership base, resilient sales, and long-term earnings and dividend-growth record. A new hydration-product partnership with Coco5 also gives the retailer another branded product aimed at health-conscious shoppers. Here’s Why Costco Is a Strong Momentum Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: The Federal Reserve held interest rates at 3.5%-3.75%. Stable rates avoid an immediate financing shock, but elevated borrowing costs can limit consumer spending and keep pressure on richly valued retail stocks. Costco’s valuation remains demanding, with a reported forward earnings multiple near 48 and a PEG ratio above 4.
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent comparisons with Walmart frame Costco as a high-quality retailer with strong customer loyalty and digital growth, but investors must balance those strengths against its higher valuation and expectations for continued execution.
• Negative Sentiment: Costco agreed to a $14 million settlement involving allegations that promotional emails sent to Washington shoppers used misleading expiration language. Costco denies wrongdoing, but the settlement may create reputational and compliance concerns. Costco’s $14 Million Email Settlement
• Negative Sentiment: An animal-welfare investigation alleging severe mistreatment and biosecurity failures at an organic chicken supplier linked to Costco could increase scrutiny of the company’s supply-chain oversight and create potential legal or reputational costs.
• Negative Sentiment: Costco’s reported quarterly earnings slightly missed consensus estimates, despite revenue exceeding expectations. Combined with its elevated valuation, even modest earnings disappointments can weigh on the 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.