Safeguard Investment Advisory Group LLC Takes Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Safeguard Investment Advisory Group LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund acquired 1,521 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $1,423,000.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. World Investment Advisors boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 8.4% during the 4th quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 20,081 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $15,835,000 after purchasing an additional 1,560 shares during the period. Sarasin & Partners LLP increased its position in Costco Wholesale by 6.9% in the 2nd quarter. Sarasin & Partners LLP now owns 214,194 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $200,372,000 after buying an additional 13,795 shares during the period. Perryman Financial Advisory Inc. AD bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth approximately $9,300,000. Retail Employees Superannuation Pty Ltd as trustee for Retail Employees Superannuation Trust acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth approximately $5,813,000. Finally, Hyperion Asset Management Ltd lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 9.0% during the second quarter. Hyperion Asset Management Ltd now owns 68,762 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $64,325,000 after buying an additional 5,656 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Strong August and fiscal-year sales: 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 August and the fiscal year, and digitally enabled sales rose 17.9% for the month and 20.9% for the year. Costco August Sales Results
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts remain constructive: BTIG reaffirmed its Buy rating with a $1,125 price target, while Bank of America maintained a Buy rating and a $1,200 target. These targets imply substantial upside and suggest analysts believe Costco’s membership model and sales momentum support its premium valuation. BTIG Costco Rating
• Neutral Sentiment: Mixed analyst signal: DA Davidson reaffirmed a Neutral rating but lifted its price target to $1,000, indicating limited conviction even while acknowledging potential appreciation.
• Neutral Sentiment: Long-term optimism: Commentary argues Costco could eventually surpass Home Depot and Lowe’s in market value if it sustains membership growth, warehouse expansion and consistent execution. This is a long-range thesis rather than a near-term catalyst. Costco Long-Term Valuation Forecast
• Negative Sentiment: DOJ beef-pricing investigation: The Justice Department is requesting records from Costco and other major retailers regarding beef prices, costs, margins and purchasing strategies. The inquiry creates potential legal, regulatory and operational risks, although no wrongdoing has been established. DOJ Beef Price Inquiry
• Negative Sentiment: Costco Next shutdown: The abrupt ending of the online Costco Next marketplace disappointed some members and raises questions about the company’s digital strategy, though the direct financial effect appears limited. Costco Next Shutdown

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on COST shares. Guggenheim restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. HC Wainwright reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. BTIG Research reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $1,125.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 20th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein raised their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,192.00 to $1,194.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-one research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,059.53.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Kenneth Denman sold 885 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on 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 transaction, the director directly owned 4,779 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,575,653.55. This trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of COST stock opened at $925.41 on Friday. 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 $410.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 46.55, a P/E/G ratio of 3.85 and a beta of 0.86. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $944.31 and a two-hundred day moving average of $978.18. 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 Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Investors of record on Friday, July 24th were paid a $1.47 dividend. 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 presently 29.58%.

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.