KBC Group NV Sells 1,306 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

KBC Group NV reduced its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 1.0% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 134,499 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 1,306 shares during the quarter. KBC Group NV’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $125,820,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Palisade Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.4% in the 4th quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC now owns 702 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $605,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares during the period. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. now owns 3,194 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,754,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the period. Wealth Effects LLC increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.2% during the first quarter. Wealth Effects LLC now owns 874 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $871,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the period. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.8% during the first quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. now owns 551 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $549,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. Finally, First National Bank of Hutchinson raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.9% during the first quarter. First National Bank of Hutchinson now owns 1,098 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,094,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: AI-driven digital opportunity: Costco’s rising AI-generated search traffic reportedly has its highest conversion rate, suggesting AI visibility could become a meaningful catalyst for online sales growth. Will Costco’s AI Search Growth Become a Meaningful Sales Catalyst?
• Positive Sentiment: Continued consumer value appeal: Articles highlighting Costco’s money-saving grocery products, bulk-buying strategies and popular school snacks reinforce the retailer’s value proposition and could support membership loyalty and sales. 7 Costco Grocery Items That Can Save You Hundreds of Dollars Annually
• Neutral Sentiment: Institutional buying: Golden Reserve Retirement LLC increased its COST position by 133.9%, purchasing 592 additional shares. However, the resulting holding of only 1,034 shares is too small to represent a significant market signal. Golden Reserve Retirement LLC Increases Position in Costco
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data provides no clear signal: Reported short interest was zero, with an unusable percentage-change figure and a zero-day days-to-cover ratio, indicating the data does not meaningfully explain trading activity.
• Negative Sentiment: Tariff-refund litigation remains an overhang: Costco is contesting a customer lawsuit over refunds of certain IEEPA duties, while attorneys argue that Costco’s recovery of some duties weakens its case against issuing member refunds. Potential refunds and legal costs could pressure margins. Costco Fights Customer’s Tariff Suit as Refunds Flow In
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation sensitivity: Investor Michael Burry reportedly characterized Costco as “permacostly,” highlighting concern that COST’s elevated earnings multiple leaves less room for disappointment. The latest quarterly EPS also narrowly missed consensus, despite revenue exceeding expectations.
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco’s planned 24-hour closure on September 7 is a routine holiday-related event and is unlikely to materially affect the investment outlook. Costco Will Shut Down for 24 Hours on September 7

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was 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 of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. This trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $960.01 on Wednesday. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $946.44 and its 200-day moving average price is $980.87. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,096.50. The firm has a market capitalization of $425.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 48.29, a P/E/G ratio of 4.62 and a beta of 0.87. 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 quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate 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 last year, the company earned $4.28 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th were issued a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is presently 29.58%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have commented on the stock. Guggenheim reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. BTIG Research reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $1,125.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Oppenheimer upped their target price on 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. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Finally, HC Wainwright reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,059.53.

About Costco Wholesale

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.