Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST – Free Report) by 7.7% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 12,044 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 856 shares during the period. Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $12,001,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of COST. Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.6% in the 1st quarter. Brown Lisle Cummings Inc. now owns 3,378 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,366,000 after purchasing an additional 52 shares during the last quarter. OP Asset Management Ltd acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the first quarter worth approximately $94,726,000. Banque Cantonale Vaudoise increased its position in Costco Wholesale by 30.8% during the first quarter. Banque Cantonale Vaudoise now owns 5,811 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $5,790,000 after buying an additional 1,367 shares during the last quarter. Apella Capital LLC raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 39.0% in the first quarter. Apella Capital LLC now owns 4,472 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $4,471,000 after buying an additional 1,254 shares during the period. Finally, Consilium Wealth Advisory LLC raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 15.5% in the first quarter. Consilium Wealth Advisory LLC now owns 1,840 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,833,000 after buying an additional 247 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
Several research analysts have recently commented on COST shares. Weiss Ratings downgraded Costco Wholesale from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Tuesday. UBS Group increased their price target on 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. Roth Mkm raised their price target on Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Finally, Truist Financial increased their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,061.45.
Insider Activity
In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the transaction, the director owned 4,779 shares in the company, 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 currently owned by insiders.
Costco Wholesale Stock Performance
NASDAQ:COST opened at $942.24 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $996.71 and a 200 day simple moving average of $970.66. The stock has a market cap of $417.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.40, a PEG ratio of 4.65 and a beta of 0.88. 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 issued 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). The firm 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 in the prior year, the company earned $4.28 earnings per share. Research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 earnings per share for the current year.
Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend
The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st were issued a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is presently 29.58%.
Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale
Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Several bullish articles highlighted Costco’s resilient membership model, strong sales growth, high renewal rates, and ongoing global expansion, reinforcing the view that the business remains fundamentally solid. Costco Just Posted 12% Sales Growth and 92% Membership Renewals, and the Stock Fell Anyway. Is This the Buy-the-Dip Moment?
- Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentary pieces suggested Costco may have further upside, with some citing a path back toward $1,000 per share and broader appeal as a defensive retailer in volatile markets. Costco Stock Price Prediction: A Path to $1,000 and Double-Digit Upside
- Positive Sentiment: Coverage around Costco’s cash generation raised the possibility of another special dividend later in 2026, which could be an additional catalyst for income-focused investors. Costco’s Cash Pile Is Building. Is a Special Dividend Coming in the Second Half of 2026?
- Neutral Sentiment: Costco was also mentioned in store-opening and local expansion stories, which point to continued growth but do not appear to be major immediate stock catalysts. Costco is opening 2 new locations this week. See where
- Neutral Sentiment: A director, Kenneth D. Denman, sold 885 shares in a disclosed SEC filing. The sale was relatively small versus his remaining stake, but insider selling can still weigh on sentiment. SEC filing for Kenneth D. Denman transaction
- Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data showed no meaningful short position in the shares, so this report does not suggest a major bearish thesis.
- Negative Sentiment: Broader market commentary noted Costco’s stock has been under pressure recently despite solid fundamentals, suggesting valuation concerns and profit-taking may be limiting near-term upside. Costco Just Posted 12% Sales Growth and 92% Membership Renewals, and the Stock Fell Anyway. Is This the Buy-the-Dip Moment?
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.
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