Sanctuary Advisors LLC Decreases Stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Sanctuary Advisors LLC decreased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 4.8% in the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 102,748 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 5,176 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale comprises about 0.6% of Sanctuary Advisors LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 29th biggest holding. Sanctuary Advisors LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $102,381,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the business. BlueChip Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 10.9% in the first quarter. BlueChip Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 357 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $328,000 after buying an additional 35 shares in the last quarter. Cornerstone Advisory LLC raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 3.6% in the 1st quarter. Cornerstone Advisory LLC now owns 3,071 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,060,000 after acquiring an additional 107 shares during the last quarter. Adell Harriman & Carpenter Inc. lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.9% in the 1st quarter. Adell Harriman & Carpenter Inc. now owns 40,296 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $40,153,000 after purchasing an additional 343 shares in the last quarter. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 4.2% during the 1st quarter. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC now owns 9,227 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $9,194,000 after purchasing an additional 369 shares during the last quarter. Finally, First National Bank of Hutchinson grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.9% in the first quarter. First National Bank of Hutchinson now owns 1,098 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,094,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 0.5%

Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $921.75 on Wednesday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,096.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $980.00 and its 200-day simple moving average is $976.98. The company has a market cap of $408.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.37, a PEG ratio of 4.49 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.94 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $4.28 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 24th will be paid a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is 29.58%.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: William Blair highlighted Costco as one of the consumer names best positioned to handle inflation and uneven spending, reinforcing the company’s defensive appeal in a cautious consumer environment. Casey’s, Costco, and Other Consumer Stocks for Uncertain Times
• Positive Sentiment: RBC initiated coverage with a $1,000 price target and a “sector perform” rating, calling Costco one of retail’s best stories and suggesting meaningful upside from current levels. Costco Wholesale is now covered by Royal Bank Of Canada
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple articles noted that Costco continues to win market share thanks to its unique membership-and-volume model, while also benefiting from resilient sales and digital growth. Costco Wholesale to Sustain Market Share Gains on ‘Unique’ Model, RBC Capital Markets Says
• Neutral Sentiment: Jim Cramer reiterated his support for Costco, but this was more of a sentiment boost than a fresh business catalyst. Jim Cramer Unsurprisingly Sticks With Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST)
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco’s first standalone gas station and broader brand/media coverage may help reinforce the company’s low-price image, but the direct stock impact is likely limited. Costco opens first standalone gas station
• Negative Sentiment: Costco is facing scrutiny over a proposed class-action lawsuit alleging its protein powder contained undisclosed heavy metals, which could pressure investor sentiment around product quality and trust. Costco (COST) Faces Protein Powder Heavy Metals Lawsuit And A Test Of Trust
• Negative Sentiment: Some coverage emphasized that Costco’s premium valuation remains a concern, especially as June sales showed strong demand but slower comparable sales growth. Are Costco’s June Sales Enough to Defend Its Rich Valuation?

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have recently commented on COST shares. Roth Capital upped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,110.00 to $1,100.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, July 9th. DA Davidson restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, June 4th. UBS Group upped their target price on shares of 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. Finally, HC Wainwright reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,059.07.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated 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 in the company, valued at $4,575,653.55. This trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Costco Wholesale Company 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.