6,516 Shares in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Acquired by Manhattan West Asset Management LLC

Manhattan West Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor bought 6,516 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $6,096,000. Costco Wholesale comprises 1.0% of Manhattan West Asset Management LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 22nd largest position.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds 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. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Earnings expectations remain favorable. Costco’s history of exceeding estimates, combined with analysts’ expectations for strong sales and earnings momentum, could support the shares ahead of the next quarterly report. Why Costco Could Beat Earnings Estimates Again
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst maintains bullish outlook. Mizuho reiterated a Buy rating and a $1,100 price target, citing confidence in Costco’s membership-driven growth and core operating performance. Analyst Reiterates Buy on Costco
• Positive Sentiment: International expansion offers a longer-term growth driver. Solid international comparable sales, additional warehouse capacity and expansion opportunities in Asia and Europe could gradually make overseas markets more important to Costco’s growth. Can International Markets Become Costco’s Biggest Driver?
• Positive Sentiment: New-store growth continues. A large Southern California warehouse is nearing completion, highlighting Costco’s ongoing domestic expansion and potential membership and sales contributions. Costco’s New California Location
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco is partnering with SCAN Health on a Medicare Advantage plan, potentially broadening member benefits and customer engagement, though the direct financial impact remains unclear. Why Costco? Experts Weigh In on SCAN Health’s New MA Plan
• Neutral Sentiment: Fall bakery promotions and favorable consumer coverage reinforce Costco’s retail appeal but are unlikely to materially change near-term earnings. Costco Fall Bakery Items
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation is the primary risk. Commentary argues that Costco’s exceptional operating record and decade-long stock gains are already reflected in a high earnings multiple, leaving less room for disappointment and potentially limiting upside. Why Investors Should Pause
• Negative Sentiment: Target may offer a more attractive risk-reward profile because of its lower valuation and improving momentum, creating a relative headwind for COST. Costco vs. Target
• Negative Sentiment: Walmart’s new rotisserie-chicken offering intensifies competition in a high-visibility Costco category, although the immediate impact on Costco’s results is uncertain. Walmart Challenges Costco With Rotisserie Chicken

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have commented on the stock. Truist Financial upped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered 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 reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, June 4th. Weiss Ratings lowered Costco Wholesale from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 23rd. Finally, Guggenheim reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note 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 issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,059.53.

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 0.4%

NASDAQ:COST opened at $939.96 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The stock has a market capitalization of $416.85 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.28, a PEG ratio of 4.31 and a beta of 0.87. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $945.29 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $979.34. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

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

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated 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 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 filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

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.