Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Holdings Lowered by Sapient Capital LLC

Sapient Capital LLC decreased its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 1.3% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 72,806 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 931 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale accounts for 0.9% of Sapient Capital LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 17th biggest position. Sapient Capital LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $68,108,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of COST. World Equity Group Inc. raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 5.9% during the 2nd quarter. World Equity Group Inc. now owns 1,011 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $946,000 after buying an additional 56 shares during the period. Focus Financial Network Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 3.6% in the second quarter. Focus Financial Network Inc. now owns 10,630 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $9,944,000 after buying an additional 367 shares during the period. Allied Private Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the second quarter worth about $783,000. Great Waters Wealth Management increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 6.0% in the second quarter. Great Waters Wealth Management now owns 1,812 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,695,000 after acquiring an additional 102 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Arista Wealth Management LLC increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.7% in the second quarter. Arista Wealth Management LLC now owns 7,505 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $7,021,000 after acquiring an additional 54 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines 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 Price Performance

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $947.82 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $420.34 billion, a PE ratio of 47.68, a P/E/G ratio of 4.51 and a beta of 0.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.07. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $950.51 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $982.13. 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 released its 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). 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 during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $4.28 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Investors of record on Friday, July 24th were given a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was 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 (DPR) is presently 29.58%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale 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 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 sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

COST has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Mizuho set a $1,100.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. HC Wainwright reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Oppenheimer lifted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 19th. UBS Group boosted 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 note on Wednesday, May 20th. Finally, TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating and issued a $1,175.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,059.53.

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.