Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Sold by Vestor Capital LLC

Vestor Capital LLC lowered its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 99.9% during the first quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 1,017 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 969,823 shares during the period. Vestor Capital LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $1,013,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Diamant Asset Management Inc. grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 99,278.0% during the 1st quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. now owns 6,726,899 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $672,690,000 after purchasing an additional 6,720,130 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth $5,195,415,000. Corient Private Wealth LLC boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 838.9% in the 4th quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 6,125,405 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $5,282,182,000 after buying an additional 5,472,968 shares during the last quarter. Cardano Risk Management B.V. boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 907.1% in the 4th quarter. Cardano Risk Management B.V. now owns 1,785,080 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,539,346,000 after buying an additional 1,607,833 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Amundi grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 45.0% during the third quarter. Amundi now owns 3,176,606 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,893,697,000 after acquiring an additional 986,182 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

COST has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. 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 research report on Friday, May 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,110.00 to $1,100.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, July 9th. Citigroup initiated coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, June 18th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $1,020.00 price objective for the company. Weiss Ratings downgraded Costco Wholesale from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Tuesday, June 23rd. 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 report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,059.07.

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 transaction of $847,343.25. Following the transaction, the director directly 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 SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco is reportedly testing a new gasoline-sales strategy that could expand fuel-related revenue and potentially make gas stations a more meaningful contributor to the company’s business model. The long-term opportunity could support investor interest if the experiment improves traffic, margins, or membership economics. Costco: A New Experiment With Gasoline Sales Could Fundamentally Transform The Company
• Positive Sentiment: Costco continues to receive favorable momentum coverage, supported by its loyal membership base, resilient sales, and long-term earnings and dividend-growth record. A new hydration-product partnership with Coco5 also gives the retailer another branded product aimed at health-conscious shoppers. Here’s Why Costco Is a Strong Momentum Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: The Federal Reserve held interest rates at 3.5%-3.75%. Stable rates avoid an immediate financing shock, but elevated borrowing costs can limit consumer spending and keep pressure on richly valued retail stocks. Costco’s valuation remains demanding, with a reported forward earnings multiple near 48 and a PEG ratio above 4.
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent comparisons with Walmart frame Costco as a high-quality retailer with strong customer loyalty and digital growth, but investors must balance those strengths against its higher valuation and expectations for continued execution.
• Negative Sentiment: Costco agreed to a $14 million settlement involving allegations that promotional emails sent to Washington shoppers used misleading expiration language. Costco denies wrongdoing, but the settlement may create reputational and compliance concerns. Costco’s $14 Million Email Settlement
• Negative Sentiment: An animal-welfare investigation alleging severe mistreatment and biosecurity failures at an organic chicken supplier linked to Costco could increase scrutiny of the company’s supply-chain oversight and create potential legal or reputational costs.
• Negative Sentiment: Costco’s reported quarterly earnings slightly missed consensus estimates, despite revenue exceeding expectations. Combined with its elevated valuation, even modest earnings disappointments can weigh on the stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 1.9%

NASDAQ:COST opened at $955.17 on Friday. 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 company has a market capitalization of $423.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.71 and a beta of 0.88. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,096.50. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $956.95 and a 200 day simple moving average of $982.32.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its quarterly earnings data 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). Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. The firm had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $4.28 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

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

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.