280,643 Shares in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Purchased by Korea Investment CORP

Korea Investment CORP bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund bought 280,643 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $262,533,000.

Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Brighton Jones LLC increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 12.3% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 19,825 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $18,165,000 after buying an additional 2,172 shares during the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 13.1% during the fourth quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,123 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,029,000 after acquiring an additional 130 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 4.5% during the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 3,853 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,814,000 after purchasing an additional 165 shares during the period. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% in the 2nd quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. now owns 2,110 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,089,000 after purchasing an additional 23 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Schnieders Capital Management LLC. boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.2% in the 2nd quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 8,502 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $8,416,000 after purchasing an additional 182 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Strong sales momentum supports the investment case. Costco reported August net sales of $23.70 billion, up 9.9% year over year. Fourth-quarter sales rose 11.3% to $93.9 billion, while fiscal-year sales increased 10.2% to $297.3 billion. Total comparable sales grew 8.4% for the year, and digitally enabled sales jumped 20.9%. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports August Sales Results
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst sentiment remains favorable. Mizuho reiterated a Buy rating and maintained a $1,100 price target, citing confidence in Costco’s membership-driven growth. Recent analyst targets generally remain above the current trading level, with a reported six-month median target of $1,125. Analyst Reiterates Buy on Costco
• Neutral Sentiment: Calendar effects clouded the monthly comparison. Costco said the later timing of Labor Day reduced August total and comparable sales growth by slightly less than 75 basis points. Underlying performance remained positive, but investors may look for confirmation in the next report.
• Negative Sentiment: Costco Next was abruptly discontinued. The company shut down the online Costco Next marketplace without notice. While the service is unlikely to materially affect near-term financial results, the move could disappoint members and remove a customer-engagement perk. Costco has ended this online service without notice
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory uncertainty increased. The U.S. Department of Justice expanded an investigation into rising beef prices to include Costco and other major retailers. Potential reputational, legal, or margin-related consequences create an overhang, although no wrongdoing has been established. DOJ expands beef price investigation
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation leaves little room for disappointment. Costco trades at roughly 47 times earnings, with a PEG ratio above 4, and shares remain below their 50-day and 200-day moving averages. Insider activity has also consisted of sales rather than purchases in recent months, adding to investor caution.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts recently weighed in on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,110.00 to $1,100.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, July 9th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Royal Bank Of Canada initiated coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, July 13th. They set a “sector perform” rating and a $1,000.00 price target for the company. HC Wainwright reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. Finally, Oppenheimer raised their price objective on shares of 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. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,059.53.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

COST opened at $928.48 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $411.76 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.70, a PEG ratio of 3.89 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 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 $944.65 and its 200-day simple moving average is $978.84.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Investors of record on Friday, July 24th were paid 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 was Friday, July 24th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is 29.58%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 4,779 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. This represents a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

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.