Chesley Taft & Associates LLC Cuts Stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Chesley Taft & Associates LLC cut its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 1.8% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 66,032 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 1,213 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale makes up about 2.4% of Chesley Taft & Associates LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 8th largest holding. Chesley Taft & Associates LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $61,771,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Lbmc Investment Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 0.5% in the fourth quarter. Lbmc Investment Advisors LLC now owns 2,041 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,760,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.3% during the 4th quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. now owns 3,194 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,754,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.4% in the 4th quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC now owns 702 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $605,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the period. Wealth Effects LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.2% in the 1st quarter. Wealth Effects LLC now owns 874 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $871,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the period. Finally, Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.8% in the first quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. now owns 551 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $549,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

COST has been the subject of several recent research reports. Citigroup assumed coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $1,020.00 price target for the company. HC Wainwright restated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Costco Wholesale from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 23rd. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $1,175.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,059.53.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Strong July sales support the growth narrative. Costco reported July net sales of $23.12 billion, up 10.7% year over year. Sales for the first 48 weeks rose 10.1% to $273.55 billion, suggesting resilient consumer demand and continued momentum across its warehouse business. Comparable sales also increased, a key measure for retail investors. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports July Sales Results
• Positive Sentiment: New warehouse openings are drawing strong customer interest. Reports from the Capital Region and Oconomowoc describe enthusiastic crowds for Costco’s latest locations. Successful openings can expand the membership base, warehouse footprint and long-term sales potential, although the near-term financial contribution is likely limited. New Costco Opens in Oconomowoc to Enthusiastic Shoppers
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s private-label strategy remains influential. Lord & Taylor is reportedly considering a Costco-like approach centered on private-label merchandise, highlighting the strength of Costco’s Kirkland Signature brand and the competitive value of its membership model. Formerly Bankrupt Lord and Taylor Bets on Costco Strategy
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage of a potential business-center expansion and the role of pharmacy operations offers possible strategic upside, but no specific financial impact or firm expansion plan was provided. Costco Business Center Plan
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation is limiting enthusiasm. Analysts and tactical-investing commentary characterize COST as fairly valued or advise patience for a pullback, with one analysis identifying a potential buying range near $820–$860. Costco trades at a high earnings multiple, leaving the stock vulnerable if sales growth slows or results fail to exceed expectations. How Tactical Buyers Should Play Costco Today

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ COST opened at $947.82 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $420.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.68, a PEG ratio of 4.59 and a beta of 0.87. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $950.51 and a 200 day moving average of $982.00. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.94 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $4.28 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

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

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the business’s 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 completion of the sale, the director 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 sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

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.