Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Sold by NewEdge Advisors LLC

NewEdge Advisors LLC reduced its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 0.9% during the first quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 152,950 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 1,394 shares during the period. NewEdge Advisors LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $152,403,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of COST. Palisade Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.4% during the fourth quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC now owns 702 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $605,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. boosted its holdings 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 valued at $2,754,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares during the period. Wealth Effects LLC boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.2% during the 1st quarter. Wealth Effects LLC now owns 874 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $871,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares during the period. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of 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 valued at $549,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. Finally, First National Bank of Hutchinson boosted its position in shares of 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 period. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $941.99 on Thursday. 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 cap of $417.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.38, a PEG ratio of 4.58 and a beta of 0.87. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $951.60 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $982.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.07.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last posted its quarterly earnings data 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 during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $4.28 EPS. Research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on COST. Mizuho set a $1,100.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. Oppenheimer boosted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 19th. Royal Bank Of Canada assumed coverage on Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, July 13th. They set a “sector perform” rating and a $1,000.00 price target on the stock. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Costco Wholesale from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 23rd. Finally, Guggenheim reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,059.07.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total value of $847,343.25. Following the transaction, the director owned 4,779 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco reported July net sales of $23.12 billion, up 10.7% year over year. Sales for the first 48 weeks rose 10.1% to $273.55 billion, reinforcing the strength of consumer demand and membership-based traffic. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports July Sales Results
• Positive Sentiment: The company continues expanding its store footprint, with construction underway near Meridian, Idaho and the Kuna border. New warehouses can increase membership, merchandise sales and ancillary revenue over time. Costco construction underway near Kuna border
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s Kirkland Signature private-label brand remains a competitive advantage, attracting members and supporting customer loyalty. Its strategy is increasingly being viewed as a model by other retailers. Formerly bankrupt department store bets on Costco strategy
• Neutral Sentiment: Low-priced gasoline primarily supports Costco indirectly by attracting shoppers and encouraging memberships rather than generating substantial fuel profits. The strategy may boost traffic but can constrain direct fuel margins. Costco keeps its gas super cheap
• Negative Sentiment: Residents are objecting to a reportedly privately negotiated tax-sharing agreement tied to a proposed Costco and gas station project in an Orange County city. Political opposition or permitting delays could slow the development and add execution risk. Residents oppose Costco tax-sharing agreement

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.