Wealthcare Advisory Partners LLC Sells 2,520 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Wealthcare Advisory Partners LLC decreased its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 28.3% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 6,390 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 2,520 shares during the period. Wealthcare Advisory Partners LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $5,977,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 12.3% during the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 19,825 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $18,165,000 after purchasing an additional 2,172 shares in the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 13.1% in the fourth quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,123 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,029,000 after purchasing an additional 130 shares during the period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 4.5% in the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 3,853 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $3,814,000 after purchasing an additional 165 shares in the last quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.1% in the second quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. now owns 2,110 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,089,000 after purchasing an additional 23 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Schnieders Capital Management LLC. lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 2.2% during the second quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 8,502 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $8,416,000 after buying an additional 182 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: July sales remained very strong. Costco reported July net sales of $23.12 billion, up 10.7% year over year. Comparable sales increased 8.9% globally and 10.3% in the U.S., while digital sales and membership activity remained healthy. The results suggest Costco continues to attract value-conscious consumers and could support earnings expectations. Costco Delivered Another Strong Sales Print in July
• Positive Sentiment: Expansion continues. Planned warehouses, including a possible additional North Texas location and a Kent-area project expected to create about 250 jobs, point to continued investment in Costco’s store footprint. The initiatives are a modest long-term growth positive, although they are unlikely to materially affect near-term results. Costco May Add Another Store in North Texas
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings expectations are the next major catalyst. Retail-sector coverage describes COST as consolidating ahead of earnings. Investors will focus on comparable sales, membership trends, margins and whether July’s growth can continue through the remainder of the year. Reported short interest of zero shares appears inconsistent with normal market data and provides no meaningful trading signal. Retail Stocks Forecasts
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation is limiting upside. Analysts acknowledge Costco’s resilient demand, membership strength and high-quality business model, but question whether its premium valuation already discounts much of the good news. With a trailing P/E near 47.5, even solid results may not be enough if growth slows or management guidance disappoints. Are Costco’s July Sales Solid Enough to Justify Its Premium Valuation?

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 0.9%

Shares of COST stock opened at $944.32 on Wednesday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,096.50. The stock has a market cap of $418.79 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.50, a P/E/G ratio of 4.53 and a beta of 0.87. 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 50 day simple moving average of $950.45 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $981.77.

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 the consensus estimate of $4.94 by ($0.01). Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.The business had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $4.28 earnings per share. On average, research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Investors of record on Friday, July 24th were issued a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 24th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 29.58%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have recently commented on COST. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a “buy” rating and set a $1,120.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, August 6th. TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating and set a $1,175.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Truist Financial raised their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Citigroup began coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $1,020.00 target price for the company. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein boosted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,192.00 to $1,194.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,059.53.

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.