Westpac Banking Corp Purchases New Shares in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Westpac Banking Corp purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) in the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 985 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $981,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth about $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at about $31,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth about $33,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

COST opened at $927.31 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $411.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.65, a PEG ratio of 4.49 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 Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,096.50. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $970.49 and its 200-day simple moving average is $979.74.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings data 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 during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $4.28 earnings per share. On average, 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 firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 24th will be issued a $1.47 dividend. 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 payout ratio is currently 29.58%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have issued reports on the stock. Mizuho set a $1,100.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Truist Financial upped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Royal Bank Of Canada initiated coverage on Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, July 13th. They issued a “sector perform” rating and a $1,000.00 price target on the stock. Oppenheimer raised their price target on 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, Citigroup began coverage on Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, June 18th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $1,020.00 price objective for the company. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,059.07.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentators continue to highlight Costco’s durable earnings growth, strong membership model, and long-term upside potential, with some articles arguing the stock could eventually move toward much higher valuations. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Costco expanded its business footprint by launching its first standalone members-only gas station in Mission Viejo, California, which reinforces its growth strategy beyond traditional warehouse sites. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Recent coverage also points to continued store expansion, including reports that more Costco locations are coming in 2026, while local officials say a new store could bring meaningful tax revenue to Clarksville. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is also broadening its value proposition through new services and products, including expanded pharmacy/prescription offerings and the addition of Laifen hair dryers in select U.S. stores, which may help drive traffic and membership retention. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Several articles were broadly positive on Costco’s brand and long-term investment case, including a Zacks analyst roundup and bullish “trillion club” projections, but they did not appear to include new company-specific catalysts for today’s trading. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Some commentary noted Costco members are paying more for memberships because added perks are viewed as worth the cost, which supports the business model but is not an immediate catalyst. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: One article highlighted that Costco has faced three lawsuits this year, which could add legal and reputational overhang even if the cases are not yet financially material. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Some investor commentary remains cautious on valuation, noting that Costco already trades at a premium and that another warehouse competitor may offer better upside, which can temper enthusiasm for the shares. Article Title

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred 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 transaction, the director directly owned 4,779 shares in the company, 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 Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

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.