Krane Financial Solutions LLC Buys Shares of 660 Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Krane Financial Solutions LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) in the second quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor bought 660 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $617,000. Costco Wholesale accounts for approximately 0.4% of Krane Financial Solutions LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 22nd largest holding.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of COST. C M Bidwell & Associates Ltd. bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Finally, Manning & Napier Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 750.0% in the first quarter. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC now owns 34 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 30 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the firm’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 completion of 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 legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,110.00 to $1,100.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 9th. BTIG Research restated a “buy” rating and set a $1,125.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Bank of America upped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Mizuho set a $1,100.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,059.53.

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 1.2%

NASDAQ COST opened at $928.48 on Thursday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $944.65 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $978.84. The stock has a market cap of $411.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 46.70, a P/E/G ratio of 3.89 and a beta of 0.87. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,096.50. 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 Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Investors 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 of this dividend was Friday, July 24th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is presently 29.58%.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Strong sales momentum supports the investment case. Costco reported August net sales of $23.70 billion, up 9.9% year over year. Fourth-quarter sales rose 11.3% to $93.9 billion, while fiscal-year sales increased 10.2% to $297.3 billion. Total comparable sales grew 8.4% for the year, and digitally enabled sales jumped 20.9%. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports August Sales Results
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst sentiment remains favorable. Mizuho reiterated a Buy rating and maintained a $1,100 price target, citing confidence in Costco’s membership-driven growth. Recent analyst targets generally remain above the current trading level, with a reported six-month median target of $1,125. Analyst Reiterates Buy on Costco
• Neutral Sentiment: Calendar effects clouded the monthly comparison. Costco said the later timing of Labor Day reduced August total and comparable sales growth by slightly less than 75 basis points. Underlying performance remained positive, but investors may look for confirmation in the next report.
• Negative Sentiment: Costco Next was abruptly discontinued. The company shut down the online Costco Next marketplace without notice. While the service is unlikely to materially affect near-term financial results, the move could disappoint members and remove a customer-engagement perk. Costco has ended this online service without notice
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory uncertainty increased. The U.S. Department of Justice expanded an investigation into rising beef prices to include Costco and other major retailers. Potential reputational, legal, or margin-related consequences create an overhang, although no wrongdoing has been established. DOJ expands beef price investigation
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation leaves little room for disappointment. Costco trades at roughly 47 times earnings, with a PEG ratio above 4, and shares remain below their 50-day and 200-day moving averages. Insider activity has also consisted of sales rather than purchases in recent months, adding to investor caution.

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.