Bleakley Financial Group LLC Acquires 1,561 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Bleakley Financial Group LLC raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 11.9% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 14,687 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,561 shares during the period. Bleakley Financial Group LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $14,635,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the business. Brighton Jones LLC grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 12.3% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 19,825 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $18,165,000 after buying an additional 2,172 shares in the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 13.1% during 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 in the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC boosted its holdings 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 period. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% in the second quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. now owns 2,110 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,089,000 after acquiring an additional 23 shares during the period. Finally, Schnieders Capital Management LLC. grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.2% in the second 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 in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the 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 transaction, the director directly owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. This represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 1.1%

Shares of COST stock opened at $926.43 on Tuesday. 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 Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,096.50. The company has a market capitalization of $410.85 billion, a PE ratio of 46.60, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.44 and a beta of 0.88. The business’s fifty day moving average is $981.90 and its 200 day moving average is $976.64.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate 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 for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $4.28 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 7th. Stockholders 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 payout ratio is presently 29.58%.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: RBC Capital described Costco as one of retail’s best stories and a top industry player, pointing to its unique membership model, market share gains, and resilient consumer demand. Several articles highlighted that the stock was gaining on the analyst optimism, which helped support the shares. Article: Costco Stock (COST) Gains As Analyst Says It Is ‘One of the Best Stories in Retail’
• Positive Sentiment: Commentary on Costco’s June sales and digital growth suggested the retailer is still seeing strong demand, with its low-price, high-volume model continuing to attract shoppers and defend market share. Article: Are Costco’s June Sales Enough to Defend Its Rich Valuation?
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple pieces compared Costco with Walmart, generally framing COST as an elite defensive retailer but noting that investors are weighing Costco’s premium valuation against its growth durability. Article: Costco vs. Walmart: 1 Dividend-Paying Retail Giant Stands Above the Other
• Neutral Sentiment: Stories about Costco’s cultural popularity and employee success reinforced the brand’s strength and consumer appeal, but they are not likely to materially move the stock on their own. Article: The One Thing Everyone in America Can Agree On? Costco
• Negative Sentiment: Costco is facing a proposed class-action lawsuit over an allegedly contaminated protein powder product, which could raise concerns about quality controls and consumer trust if the case gains traction. Article: Costco (COST) Faces Protein Powder Heavy Metals Lawsuit And A Test Of Trust
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts also flagged that Costco’s rich valuation and slowing comparable-sales growth could limit further upside, even though the business remains fundamentally strong. Article: Are Costco’s June Sales Enough to Defend Its Rich Valuation?

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts recently issued reports on the company. Telsey Advisory Group boosted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Roth Capital raised their target price on Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Oppenheimer lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 19th. UBS Group upped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 20th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased 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 report on Thursday, April 9th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,059.07.

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.