Ironvine Capital Partners LLC Sells 6,473 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Ironvine Capital Partners LLC lessened its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 19.3% during the second quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 27,040 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 6,473 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale accounts for approximately 2.2% of Ironvine Capital Partners LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 19th largest position. Ironvine Capital Partners LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $25,295,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of COST. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $28,000. C M Bidwell & Associates Ltd. bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the second quarter worth approximately $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, Burk Holdings LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the second quarter worth approximately $30,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Kenneth Denman sold 885 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the transaction, 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 transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ COST opened at $902.60 on Thursday. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $942.01 and its 200 day simple moving average is $975.58. The firm has a market capitalization of $400.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 45.40, a P/E/G ratio of 3.79 and a beta of 0.86. 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 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th were issued a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 24th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 29.58%.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade and expansion support the growth outlook. Freedom Broker upgraded Costco from “hold” to “buy” and assigned a $1,030 price target, implying meaningful upside. Separately, Costco plans to open 14 warehouses in the U.S. and Canada before year-end, which could expand membership, sales and long-term earnings. Freedom Broker upgrade and Costco expansion reports Costco warehouse expansion article
• Positive Sentiment: Seasonal merchandising remains a membership benefit. Costco is adding a popular seasonal item to its lineup, reinforcing its strategy of offering limited-time and value-oriented products that can drive store traffic and encourage member purchases. Costco seasonal merchandise article
• Neutral Sentiment: Labor practices highlight Costco’s employee-retention advantage. A report about a meat cutter earning $32 per hour with benefits and job security underscores Costco’s reputation for relatively strong employee compensation. That may support service quality and retention, although higher labor costs could pressure margins over time. Costco employee compensation article
• Neutral Sentiment: Return-product resale operations provide limited incremental value. Reports that Costco sends some returned merchandise to liquidation auctions reveal a secondary channel for recovering value, but the financial impact appears too small to materially change the investment case. Costco returns and liquidation article
• Negative Sentiment: Costco reportedly shut down an online marketplace service. The abrupt closure raises questions about e-commerce execution and could disappoint investors seeking faster digital growth, even if the move ultimately reflects strategic streamlining. Costco online marketplace closure article
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and competitive concerns are weighing on sentiment. Commentary questioning whether Costco has lost some of its competitive edge, along with comparisons to lower-priced dollar stores, adds pressure to an already expensive stock. The recent underperformance makes investors less willing to pay a premium multiple without stronger growth. Costco competitive edge commentary

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms recently issued reports on COST. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a “buy” rating and issued a $1,091.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, September 4th. Truist Financial lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Oppenheimer boosted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 19th. DA Davidson restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, September 3rd. Finally, Mizuho set a $1,100.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,056.03.

Costco Wholesale Company Profile

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates membership-based warehouse clubs that offer a broad selection of merchandise at generally competitive prices. Its product range includes groceries, fresh foods, apparel, appliances, electronics, furniture, jewelry, hardware, and seasonal goods, along with private-label products sold under the Kirkland Signature brand.

The company also provides a variety of ancillary services, including gasoline stations, pharmacies, optical centers, hearing-aid centers, food courts, tire centers, and travel services.