Cerity Partners LLC Purchases 2,291 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Cerity Partners LLC increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 0.6% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 405,773 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 2,291 shares during the period. Cerity Partners LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $349,925,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Brighton Jones LLC increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 12.3% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 19,825 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $18,165,000 after acquiring an additional 2,172 shares during the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 13.1% in the 4th quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,123 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,029,000 after acquiring an additional 130 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 4.5% in the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 3,853 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,814,000 after acquiring an additional 165 shares during the last quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.1% in the 2nd quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. now owns 2,110 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,089,000 after acquiring an additional 23 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Schnieders Capital Management LLC. increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 2.2% in the 2nd quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 8,502 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $8,416,000 after acquiring an additional 182 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $974.75 on Tuesday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,096.50. The stock has a market capitalization of $432.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 49.03, a PEG ratio of 4.71 and a beta of 0.88. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $1,006.61 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $964.91. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings results 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 for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $70.12 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $4.28 earnings per share. On average, analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st were paid a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. 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. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is presently 29.58%.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco lowered prices on several Kirkland Signature/private-label items, including food, home goods, and sports equipment, signaling a continued focus on member value and traffic retention. Costco lowers prices on four private-label products across food, home goods and sports equipment aisles
• Positive Sentiment: Reports say Costco is cutting prices on popular Kirkland items, which could strengthen its value image versus competitors and help keep members shopping more often. Why Costco Just Voluntarily Lowered Prices on These Popular Kirkland Items
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s digital business showed strong momentum, with digital comps up sharply and app traffic rising, suggesting a bigger opportunity for online sales and personalization-driven growth. Costco’s Lowered Prices Show Why Shoppers Keep Returning
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts highlighted Costco’s digital surge as a sign the retailer may be becoming an even stronger omnichannel winner. Costco Leans On Kirkland Price Cuts To Support Growth Narrative
• Neutral Sentiment: Several lifestyle and shopping guides featured Costco products for summer and Fourth of July hosting, which adds visibility but is unlikely to materially move the stock. 9 Costco finds to host the best Fourth of July BBQ ever
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary about CEO Ron Vachris’s rise from the warehouse floor is largely narrative-driven and does not appear to change the near-term outlook. Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from the warehouse floor to the corner office without a college degree—and he says it’s thanks to not job hopping
• Negative Sentiment: One article noted Costco’s stock has been falling in recent weeks and is still below recent highs, reflecting some investor caution despite the operational positives. Should You Buy Costco Wholesale Stock While It’s Below $1,000?
• Negative Sentiment: Broader consumer commentary about $4 gas and inflation pressure could weigh on discretionary spending and keep investors cautious about margins and demand trends. Consumers look resilient on the surface, but $4 gas was a tipping point and Costco members are filling up more often in case prices go even higher

Analyst Ratings Changes

COST has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Daiwa Securities Group lifted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 10th. Roth Mkm lifted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. BTIG Research reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $1,125.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Finally, Guggenheim reissued a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,060.41.

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.