WealthCare Asset Management LLC Invests $1.08 Million in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

WealthCare Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund bought 1,160 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $1,085,000.

Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Palisade Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.4% during the 4th quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC now owns 702 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $605,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. now owns 3,194 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,754,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. Wealth Effects LLC grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.2% in the 1st quarter. Wealth Effects LLC now owns 874 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $871,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.8% during the 1st quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. now owns 551 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $549,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Finally, First National Bank of Hutchinson raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.9% during the 1st quarter. First National Bank of Hutchinson now owns 1,098 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,094,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have issued reports on the stock. Truist Financial upped 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 note on Friday, May 29th. Bank of America lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Sanford C. Bernstein boosted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,192.00 to $1,194.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. TD Cowen reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $1,175.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Finally, Citigroup began coverage on 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. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,059.53.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 0.5%

Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $956.99 on Thursday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,096.50. 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 stock has a market cap of $424.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 48.14, a P/E/G ratio of 4.57 and a beta of 0.87. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $948.67 and a 200 day moving average price of $981.23.

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 net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. The business had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $4.28 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

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

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: New Medicare Advantage offering could expand Costco’s membership value proposition. Costco is partnering with nonprofit SCAN Health Plan to offer co-branded Medicare Advantage and supplemental plans, initially in two states pending regulatory approval. The broader rollout could include pharmacy, vision, hearing and over-the-counter benefits, potentially strengthening member retention and creating an additional revenue stream. Costco’s Next Big Bulk Item: Medicare Advantage
• Positive Sentiment: Growing cash reserves may support another special dividend. Commentary suggests Costco’s accumulating cash could lead to a substantial shareholder payout this fall. While no dividend has been announced, the possibility may provide support for the stock and reinforce Costco’s shareholder-return appeal. Costco’s Cash Pile Keeps Building
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco’s merchandising strategy continues to drive member engagement. The company’s practice of rotating or discontinuing popular products can frustrate shoppers, but limited availability and surprise product returns may encourage more frequent warehouse visits and support the treasure-hunt shopping experience. Costco keeps discontinuing popular products
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation leaves limited room for execution missteps. COST trades at roughly 48 times earnings, with a PEG ratio above 4, and analysts have questioned whether its strong multiyear performance is already reflected in the share price. The company’s latest quarterly EPS slightly missed consensus, although revenue exceeded expectations, adding to investor focus on earnings growth. Costco Stock Looks Fully Priced

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total value of $847,343.25. Following the transaction, the director owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

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.