Headlands Technologies LLC Invests $1.38 Million in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm bought 1,473 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $1,378,000.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth approximately $28,000. C M Bidwell & Associates Ltd. acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the second quarter worth approximately $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Finally, Burk Holdings LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth $30,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have recently commented on COST. Mizuho set a $1,100.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. DA Davidson restated a “neutral” rating and set a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, September 3rd. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Costco Wholesale from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 2nd. Sanford C. Bernstein set a $1,144.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, September 4th. Finally, Freedom Broker raised shares of Costco Wholesale from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $1,030.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Tuesday. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,056.03.

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 0.8%

NASDAQ:COST opened at $902.60 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.07. The company has a market capitalization of $400.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 45.40, a P/E/G ratio of 3.79 and a beta of 0.86. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,096.50. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $942.01 and its 200 day moving average price is $975.58.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th were issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 24th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 29.58%.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Kenneth Denman sold 885 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. This represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade and expansion support the growth outlook. Freedom Broker upgraded Costco from “hold” to “buy” and assigned a $1,030 price target, implying meaningful upside. Separately, Costco plans to open 14 warehouses in the U.S. and Canada before year-end, which could expand membership, sales and long-term earnings. Freedom Broker upgrade and Costco expansion reports Costco warehouse expansion article
• Positive Sentiment: Seasonal merchandising remains a membership benefit. Costco is adding a popular seasonal item to its lineup, reinforcing its strategy of offering limited-time and value-oriented products that can drive store traffic and encourage member purchases. Costco seasonal merchandise article
• Neutral Sentiment: Labor practices highlight Costco’s employee-retention advantage. A report about a meat cutter earning $32 per hour with benefits and job security underscores Costco’s reputation for relatively strong employee compensation. That may support service quality and retention, although higher labor costs could pressure margins over time. Costco employee compensation article
• Neutral Sentiment: Return-product resale operations provide limited incremental value. Reports that Costco sends some returned merchandise to liquidation auctions reveal a secondary channel for recovering value, but the financial impact appears too small to materially change the investment case. Costco returns and liquidation article
• Negative Sentiment: Costco reportedly shut down an online marketplace service. The abrupt closure raises questions about e-commerce execution and could disappoint investors seeking faster digital growth, even if the move ultimately reflects strategic streamlining. Costco online marketplace closure article
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and competitive concerns are weighing on sentiment. Commentary questioning whether Costco has lost some of its competitive edge, along with comparisons to lower-priced dollar stores, adds pressure to an already expensive stock. The recent underperformance makes investors less willing to pay a premium multiple without stronger growth. Costco competitive edge commentary

Costco Wholesale Profile

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates membership-based warehouse clubs that offer a broad selection of merchandise at generally competitive prices. Its product range includes groceries, fresh foods, apparel, appliances, electronics, furniture, jewelry, hardware, and seasonal goods, along with private-label products sold under the Kirkland Signature brand.

The company also provides a variety of ancillary services, including gasoline stations, pharmacies, optical centers, hearing-aid centers, food courts, tire centers, and travel services.