Old North State Trust LLC Acquires New Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Old North State Trust LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm bought 4,176 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $3,907,000. Costco Wholesale makes up about 2.0% of Old North State Trust LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 9th biggest position.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Caitlin John LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the second quarter valued at about $670,000. Asset Allocation Strategies LLC purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $337,000. Ruggaard & Associates LLC purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $707,000. Equitable Holdings Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $41,636,000. Finally, Centaurus Financial Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $5,838,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Royal Bank Of Canada started coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, July 13th. They issued a “sector perform” rating and a $1,000.00 target price on the stock. DA Davidson reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday. Mizuho set a $1,100.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Sanford C. Bernstein set a $1,144.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-one equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,056.90.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In related news, Director Kenneth 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 ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

COST stock opened at $915.74 on Monday. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $943.58 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $977.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.07. The stock has a market capitalization of $406.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 46.06, a PEG ratio of 3.80 and a beta of 0.86. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,096.50.

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 issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 29.58%.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

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.