Entropy Technologies LP Boosts Stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Entropy Technologies LP boosted its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 12.6% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 17,785 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,987 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale comprises 0.8% of Entropy Technologies LP’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 3rd biggest position. Entropy Technologies LP’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $17,722,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth $27,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 750.0% during the 1st quarter. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC now owns 34 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $34,000 after acquiring an additional 30 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Entrust Financial LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at about $31,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Record demand for Costco Gas is driving more store visits, which can support merchandise sales and membership renewals by increasing overall customer traffic. Costco Gas Demand Hits Record as Low Prices Drive Member Visits
• Positive Sentiment: Costco was highlighted as a stock that can hold up if inflation stays elevated, with its membership model and scale seen as a defensive advantage for investors. 2 Stocks Built to Thrive If Inflation Refuses to Fade (COST)
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts continue to view Costco favorably overall, with the company reported to have a “Moderate Buy” consensus recommendation. Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) Receives Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts
• Neutral Sentiment: Some shoppers may be eligible for cash from Costco’s $14 million settlement in Washington, which is a consumer-relations issue but does not appear large enough to materially change the investment case. Some Costco shoppers could qualify for cash in settlement payout
• Neutral Sentiment: Short interest data showed 0 shares reported, offering no meaningful new signal on trading pressure or sentiment.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were 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. This trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have recently commented on COST. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Truist Financial boosted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,110.00 to $1,100.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, July 9th. Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $1,020.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, 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 report on Thursday, April 9th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,059.07.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ:COST opened at $935.03 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $414.67 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.03, a PEG ratio of 4.48 and a beta of 0.88. The business has a 50 day moving average of $965.91 and a 200 day moving average of $979.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.61. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued 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). The business had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $4.28 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

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

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.