Rice Hall James & Associates LLC Invests $935,000 in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Rice Hall James & Associates LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 1,000 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $935,000.

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of COST. Palisade Asset Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.4% during the 4th quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC now owns 702 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $605,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares during the period. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. now owns 3,194 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,754,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. Wealth Effects LLC grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 1.2% during the first 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. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.8% during the first quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. now owns 551 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $549,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. Finally, First National Bank of Hutchinson raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.9% in the first quarter. First National Bank of Hutchinson now owns 1,098 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,094,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total value of $847,343.25. Following the completion of 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 ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 1.2%

Shares of COST stock opened at $945.47 on Friday. 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 one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,096.50. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $945.80 and its 200-day moving average price is $979.92. The company has a market capitalization of $419.30 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.56, a PEG ratio of 4.45 and a beta of 0.87.

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

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 24th were given a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 24th. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is presently 29.58%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

COST has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Royal Bank Of Canada started coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, July 13th. They set a “sector perform” rating and a $1,000.00 price objective for the company. Mizuho set a $1,100.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. UBS Group lifted their target price 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. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on 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, Roth Capital lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,059.53.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Delivery expansion could boost engagement: Costco is now offering delivery for customizable sheet cakes and party platters, improving convenience and potentially encouraging larger, higher-margin event-related purchases. Costco delivery for cakes and party platters
• Positive Sentiment: Physical expansion continues: Costco opened its first warehouse in Celina, Texas, one of the nation’s fastest-growing cities. New locations can add membership revenue and sales over time, although the financial contribution will develop gradually. Costco opens Celina store
• Positive Sentiment: Long-term investor appeal remains intact: Commentary highlights Costco’s strong competitive moat, membership economics and potential for dividend growth. Its partnership with SCAN Health Plan to offer Medicare Advantage and supplemental plans also provides a potential new customer-engagement channel. Costco Medicare partnership
• Neutral Sentiment: Pricing strategy is both a strength and a challenge: Costco continues to hold its iconic rotisserie chicken at $4.99 by controlling production costs. The price reinforces customer loyalty, but inflation and supply costs could pressure margins if the company maintains the price indefinitely. Costco rotisserie chicken and inflation
• Negative Sentiment: Legal and valuation concerns are weighing on sentiment: Costco is refunding certain tariff duties while contesting a related class-action lawsuit, creating uncertainty over costs and potential liabilities. Separately, the stock’s high earnings multiple and position below its 200-day moving average leave it vulnerable to profit-taking; its latest quarterly EPS narrowly missed estimates despite a revenue beat. Costco tariff refunds and lawsuit

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.