Retail Employees Superannuation Pty Ltd as trustee for Retail Employees Superannuation Trust Reduces Stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Retail Employees Superannuation Pty Ltd as trustee for Retail Employees Superannuation Trust lessened its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 44.4% in the second quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 9,856 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 7,856 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale comprises 2.5% of Retail Employees Superannuation Pty Ltd as trustee for Retail Employees Superannuation Trust’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 18th biggest holding. Retail Employees Superannuation Pty Ltd as trustee for Retail Employees Superannuation Trust’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $9,220,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of COST. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at about $27,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 750.0% in the 1st 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 period. Finally, Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth approximately $31,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the sale, 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 position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 0.1%

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $961.05 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $949.77 and a 200 day moving average of $981.29. The firm has a market capitalization of $426.21 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.34, a P/E/G ratio of 4.58 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 (NASDAQ:COST) last released its earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.The firm had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $4.28 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 24th were paid a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was 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%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Bank of America boosted their target price on shares of 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. Guggenheim reiterated a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Roth Capital lifted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Oppenheimer lifted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 19th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,059.53.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Market-share gains in Canada: Costco is now Canada’s second-largest grocery store chain, indicating continued customer adoption and potential for international growth. Costco Wholesale Is Now Canada’s Second Largest Grocery Store Chain
• Positive Sentiment: Resilient value proposition: Analysts continue to highlight Costco’s ability to attract and retain members through low prices, including inexpensive gasoline. This value positioning could support demand as consumers remain selective. Retail Stocks Poised for an Earnings Beat
• Positive Sentiment: Expansion remains a growth driver: Seven additional U.S. locations are planned for 2026, adding warehouse capacity and supporting membership and sales growth over time. Seven New Costco Locations Coming in 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Tariff-refund uncertainty: Costco says it will return tariff-related refunds to customers, but the timing and mechanics remain unclear. The policy may reinforce customer goodwill, although refunds could create temporary administrative and cash-flow considerations. Costco Tariff Refunds
• Neutral Sentiment: Operational and competitive updates: Costco will close U.S. warehouses on September 7 for Labor Day, while rival BJ’s continues expanding. These developments are unlikely to materially change near-term earnings but highlight ongoing competitive dynamics. Costco Labor Day Closure
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation remains a concern: Despite a recent pullback, Costco’s roughly 48-times P/E ratio leaves limited room for execution misses. Moderating sales growth and potential margin pressure could keep investors cautious, particularly after the latest quarter narrowly missed EPS expectations. Is Costco Stock Worth Buying Now or Still Too Pricey to Touch?

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.