Palisade Capital Management LP Invests $12.95 Million in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Palisade Capital Management LP purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm purchased 13,840 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $12,947,000.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Brighton Jones LLC raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 12.3% during the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 19,825 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $18,165,000 after acquiring an additional 2,172 shares during the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 13.1% in the fourth quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,123 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,029,000 after acquiring an additional 130 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 4.5% in the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 3,853 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $3,814,000 after acquiring an additional 165 shares during the last quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% during the second quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. now owns 2,110 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,089,000 after purchasing an additional 23 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Schnieders Capital Management LLC. raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 2.2% in the 2nd quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 8,502 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $8,416,000 after purchasing an additional 182 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Strong August sales: Net sales increased 9.9% year over year, with comparable sales rising across regions and digitally enabled sales advancing 17.9%. The figures point to resilient member demand and continued e-commerce momentum. Costco’s August Sales Rise 9.9% as Digital Growth Stays Strong
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support remains broad: BTIG reiterated a Buy rating with a $1,125 target, while Bank of America maintained its Buy rating and $1,200 target. Analysts cited resilient core performance, market-share gains, and higher earnings estimates. BTIG Reaffirms Buy on Costco
• Positive Sentiment: Long-term shareholder appeal: Commentary highlighted Costco’s consistent dividend growth since 2004, membership model, customer loyalty, and potential for continued earnings expansion.
• Neutral Sentiment: Store expansion: Costco is reportedly considering a new location in Thompson’s Station, Tennessee, supporting its long-term warehouse growth strategy, although the potential site has no immediate earnings impact.
• Neutral Sentiment: Mixed analyst valuation signals: DA Davidson reaffirmed a Neutral rating with a $1,000 target, while Bernstein retained a Buy rating but lowered its target to $1,144, indicating less room for upside despite confidence in the business.
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation concerns: Jim Cramer and other commentators argued that COST trades at roughly 43–49 times earnings, leaving the stock vulnerable if growth slows or results merely meet expectations. Cramer Says Costco at 49 Times Earnings Is the Mistake Loyal Shoppers Keep Making
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory risk: The Department of Justice expanded a beef-pricing antitrust inquiry to Costco, seeking information on prices, costs, margins, purchasing, and supply-chain practices. Potential compliance costs or scrutiny could pressure sentiment. US DOJ Widens Beef Price Inquiry
• Negative Sentiment: Costco Next shutdown: The company’s online marketplace reportedly went offline without notice, raising questions about its digital strategy, although the platform is not viewed as central to Costco’s core business. Costco Next Online Marketplace Shut Down

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, Director Kenneth Denman sold 885 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on 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 of the company’s stock, valued at $4,575,653.55. This represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 1.0%

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $915.74 on Friday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $943.58 and a 200-day simple moving average of $977.75. The company has a market capitalization of $406.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 46.06, a P/E/G ratio of 3.80 and a beta of 0.86. 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 Announces Dividend

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

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have weighed in on the company. DA Davidson restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday. BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $1,125.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday. Oppenheimer increased their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 19th. 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 research note on Thursday, July 9th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein set a $1,144.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday. Twenty-one analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,056.90.

About Costco Wholesale

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.