Bauman Advisory Group LLC Invests $1.06 Million in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Bauman Advisory Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) in the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor purchased 1,235 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $1,065,000. Costco Wholesale accounts for approximately 0.9% of Bauman Advisory Group LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 22nd largest holding.

Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Palisade Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.4% during the fourth quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC now owns 702 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $605,000 after buying an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. now owns 3,194 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,754,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Lbmc Investment Advisors LLC raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.5% in the fourth quarter. Lbmc Investment Advisors LLC now owns 2,041 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,760,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Somerset Group LLC lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% in the 3rd quarter. Somerset Group LLC now owns 4,220 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,906,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Hughes Financial Services LLC boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 4.3% during the 3rd quarter. Hughes Financial Services LLC now owns 268 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $245,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and set a $1,050.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, March 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,110.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, April 17th. TD Cowen reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $1,175.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,061.45.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco continues to show strong underlying demand, with May sales growth, high membership renewal rates, and faster-growing digital/e-commerce channels supporting the long-term growth story. How Investors May Respond To Costco (COST) Digital Momentum Amid Valuation Jitters And Macro Uncertainty
• Positive Sentiment: Costco lowered prices on some Kirkland Signature items, reinforcing its value proposition for inflation-conscious shoppers and potentially helping traffic and member loyalty. Why Weakness in Dividend-Paying Costco Stock Is a Strong Buying Opportunity
• Positive Sentiment: A new Costco gas station was approved in a Bay Area city, adding another potential traffic driver and incremental fuel-related sales opportunity. This Bay Area city approves new Costco gas station
• Neutral Sentiment: Citigroup initiated coverage with a neutral rating and a $1,020 price target, which is above the recent trading level but does not signal a strong near-term catalyst. Benzinga coverage of Citigroup initiation
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst commentary is divided, with one report noting that Costco shares fell after Citi and Bernstein issued conflicting views, adding to uncertainty around the stock’s premium valuation. Costco Stock (COST) Drops as Analysts Can’t Agree on the Big-Box Retailer
• Negative Sentiment: Several recent articles focus on whether Costco’s stock is too expensive near the $1,000 level, reflecting valuation jitters that can pressure shares when growth expectations are already high. Costco at $1,000: A Timeless Business, Is the Stock Still a Buy or a Bubble?

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 1.5%

COST stock opened at $951.45 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,096.50. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $1,001.77 and its 200-day simple moving average is $969.14. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.61. The firm has a market capitalization of $421.95 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.86, a P/E/G ratio of 4.68 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 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 firm had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $70.12 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $4.28 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st were paid a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 29.58%.

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.