Kestra Advisory Services LLC Grows Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Kestra Advisory Services LLC raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 7.9% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 113,154 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 8,326 shares during the period. Kestra Advisory Services LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $112,750,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of COST. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at about $27,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ COST opened at $912.97 on Friday. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $985.31 and its 200-day moving average price is $975.67. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,096.50. The company has a market cap of $404.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 45.92, a P/E/G ratio of 4.62 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.07.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $4.28 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

COST has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Roth Capital boosted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target 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. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Guggenheim reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded Costco Wholesale from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 23rd. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,061.10.

Insider Activity

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

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Bank of America and other analysts reiterated bullish views, saying Costco’s value-focused model and affluent membership base should continue to support market share gains. Costco shares fall after June sales update, Bank of America remains bullish
• Positive Sentiment: Costco posted strong June net sales of $29.24 billion and continued to see robust digital and U.S. demand, which suggests the core business remains healthy. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports June Sales Results and Announces Quarterly Cash Dividend
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco declared a quarterly dividend, which is supportive for income investors but unlikely to be a major near-term stock mover. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports June Sales Results and Announces Quarterly Cash Dividend
• Negative Sentiment: A proposed class-action lawsuit alleging Costco’s protein powder contained toxic heavy metals could create legal and reputational overhang. Costco faces class-action lawsuit alleging protein powder was laced with toxic heavy metals

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.