4,344 Shares in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Bought by OneAscent Financial Services LLC

OneAscent Financial Services LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm bought 4,344 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $4,064,000.

A number of other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. World Investment Advisors raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 8.4% during the fourth quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 20,081 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $15,835,000 after buying an additional 1,560 shares during the last quarter. Sarasin & Partners LLP grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 6.9% in the 2nd quarter. Sarasin & Partners LLP now owns 214,194 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $200,372,000 after buying an additional 13,795 shares in the last quarter. Perryman Financial Advisory Inc. AD acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $9,300,000. Retail Employees Superannuation Pty Ltd as trustee for Retail Employees Superannuation Trust acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $5,813,000. Finally, Hyperion Asset Management Ltd raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 9.0% during the 2nd quarter. Hyperion Asset Management Ltd now owns 68,762 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $64,325,000 after acquiring an additional 5,656 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Earnings expectations remain favorable. Costco’s history of exceeding estimates, combined with analysts’ expectations for strong sales and earnings momentum, could support the shares ahead of the next quarterly report. Why Costco Could Beat Earnings Estimates Again
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst maintains bullish outlook. Mizuho reiterated a Buy rating and a $1,100 price target, citing confidence in Costco’s membership-driven growth and core operating performance. Analyst Reiterates Buy on Costco
• Positive Sentiment: International expansion offers a longer-term growth driver. Solid international comparable sales, additional warehouse capacity and expansion opportunities in Asia and Europe could gradually make overseas markets more important to Costco’s growth. Can International Markets Become Costco’s Biggest Driver?
• Positive Sentiment: New-store growth continues. A large Southern California warehouse is nearing completion, highlighting Costco’s ongoing domestic expansion and potential membership and sales contributions. Costco’s New California Location
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco is partnering with SCAN Health on a Medicare Advantage plan, potentially broadening member benefits and customer engagement, though the direct financial impact remains unclear. Why Costco? Experts Weigh In on SCAN Health’s New MA Plan
• Neutral Sentiment: Fall bakery promotions and favorable consumer coverage reinforce Costco’s retail appeal but are unlikely to materially change near-term earnings. Costco Fall Bakery Items
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation is the primary risk. Commentary argues that Costco’s exceptional operating record and decade-long stock gains are already reflected in a high earnings multiple, leaving less room for disappointment and potentially limiting upside. Why Investors Should Pause
• Negative Sentiment: Target may offer a more attractive risk-reward profile because of its lower valuation and improving momentum, creating a relative headwind for COST. Costco vs. Target
• Negative Sentiment: Walmart’s new rotisserie-chicken offering intensifies competition in a high-visibility Costco category, although the immediate impact on Costco’s results is uncertain. Walmart Challenges Costco With Rotisserie Chicken

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

NASDAQ COST opened at $939.96 on Wednesday. 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 Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,096.50. The company has a market cap of $416.85 billion, a PE ratio of 47.28, a PEG ratio of 4.31 and a beta of 0.87. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $945.29 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $979.34.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

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

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the business’s 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 sale, the director owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

COST has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Guggenheim reissued a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Royal Bank Of Canada began coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, July 13th. They set a “sector perform” rating and a $1,000.00 price objective on the stock. BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $1,125.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, May 29th. Roth Capital boosted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Finally, UBS Group upped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 20th. Twenty-two research 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. Based on data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average 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.