Retirement Planning Group LLC Raises Stock Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Retirement Planning Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 1.2% during the first quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 50,707 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 612 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale accounts for approximately 1.6% of Retirement Planning Group LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 14th largest position. Retirement Planning Group LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $50,526,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in COST. Sterling Group Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the first quarter worth about $231,000. Integrity Wealth Solutions LLC grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 25.7% during the first quarter. Integrity Wealth Solutions LLC now owns 518 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $516,000 after purchasing an additional 106 shares in the last quarter. Bleakley Financial Group LLC grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 11.9% during the first quarter. Bleakley Financial Group LLC now owns 14,687 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $14,635,000 after purchasing an additional 1,561 shares in the last quarter. V2 Financial group LLC raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 10.3% during the 1st quarter. V2 Financial group LLC now owns 1,255 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,251,000 after purchasing an additional 117 shares during the period. Finally, WJ Financial Advisors LLC raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 6.2% during the 1st quarter. WJ Financial Advisors LLC now owns 2,401 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,392,000 after purchasing an additional 140 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling 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 shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total value of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly 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 transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

NASDAQ:COST opened at $926.43 on Tuesday. The business’s 50-day moving average is $981.90 and its 200 day moving average is $976.64. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,096.50. The company has a market capitalization of $410.85 billion, a P/E ratio of 46.60, a P/E/G ratio of 4.44 and a beta of 0.88. 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 results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share 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 analysts’ expectations of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $4.28 EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced 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. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 24th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is currently 29.58%.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: RBC Capital described Costco as one of retail’s best stories and a top industry player, pointing to its unique membership model, market share gains, and resilient consumer demand. Several articles highlighted that the stock was gaining on the analyst optimism, which helped support the shares. Article: Costco Stock (COST) Gains As Analyst Says It Is ‘One of the Best Stories in Retail’
• Positive Sentiment: Commentary on Costco’s June sales and digital growth suggested the retailer is still seeing strong demand, with its low-price, high-volume model continuing to attract shoppers and defend market share. Article: Are Costco’s June Sales Enough to Defend Its Rich Valuation?
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple pieces compared Costco with Walmart, generally framing COST as an elite defensive retailer but noting that investors are weighing Costco’s premium valuation against its growth durability. Article: Costco vs. Walmart: 1 Dividend-Paying Retail Giant Stands Above the Other
• Neutral Sentiment: Stories about Costco’s cultural popularity and employee success reinforced the brand’s strength and consumer appeal, but they are not likely to materially move the stock on their own. Article: The One Thing Everyone in America Can Agree On? Costco
• Negative Sentiment: Costco is facing a proposed class-action lawsuit over an allegedly contaminated protein powder product, which could raise concerns about quality controls and consumer trust if the case gains traction. Article: Costco (COST) Faces Protein Powder Heavy Metals Lawsuit And A Test Of Trust
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts also flagged that Costco’s rich valuation and slowing comparable-sales growth could limit further upside, even though the business remains fundamentally strong. Article: Are Costco’s June Sales Enough to Defend Its Rich Valuation?

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have weighed in on the company. Weiss Ratings downgraded Costco Wholesale from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 23rd. Truist Financial lifted their price objective 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. reduced their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,110.00 to $1,100.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 9th. Guggenheim reissued a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. Finally, Citigroup started coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $1,020.00 target price for the company. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,059.07.

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.