Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Sold by Sanctuary Advisors LLC

Sanctuary Advisors LLC reduced its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 4.8% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 102,748 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 5,176 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale comprises approximately 0.6% of Sanctuary Advisors LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 29th biggest holding. Sanctuary Advisors LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $102,381,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors have also made changes to their positions in COST. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth $27,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 750.0% in the first quarter. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC now owns 34 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $34,000 after buying an additional 30 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth about $31,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have commented on COST. Mizuho set a $1,100.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Roth Capital increased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Finally, BTIG Research reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $1,125.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,059.07.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: William Blair highlighted Costco as one of the consumer names best positioned to handle inflation and uneven spending, reinforcing the company’s defensive appeal in a cautious consumer environment. Casey’s, Costco, and Other Consumer Stocks for Uncertain Times
• Positive Sentiment: RBC initiated coverage with a $1,000 price target and a “sector perform” rating, calling Costco one of retail’s best stories and suggesting meaningful upside from current levels. Costco Wholesale is now covered by Royal Bank Of Canada
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple articles noted that Costco continues to win market share thanks to its unique membership-and-volume model, while also benefiting from resilient sales and digital growth. Costco Wholesale to Sustain Market Share Gains on ‘Unique’ Model, RBC Capital Markets Says
• Neutral Sentiment: Jim Cramer reiterated his support for Costco, but this was more of a sentiment boost than a fresh business catalyst. Jim Cramer Unsurprisingly Sticks With Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST)
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco’s first standalone gas station and broader brand/media coverage may help reinforce the company’s low-price image, but the direct stock impact is likely limited. Costco opens first standalone gas station
• Negative Sentiment: Costco is facing scrutiny over a proposed class-action lawsuit alleging its protein powder contained undisclosed heavy metals, which could pressure investor sentiment around product quality and trust. Costco (COST) Faces Protein Powder Heavy Metals Lawsuit And A Test Of Trust
• Negative Sentiment: Some coverage emphasized that Costco’s premium valuation remains a concern, especially as June sales showed strong demand but slower comparable sales growth. Are Costco’s June Sales Enough to Defend Its Rich Valuation?

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

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 transaction of $847,343.25. Following 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 transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $921.75 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $408.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.37, a PEG ratio of 4.49 and a beta of 0.88. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,096.50. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $980.00 and its 200-day simple moving average is $976.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.61.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.During the same period last year, the company posted $4.28 earnings per share. Analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current 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 paid a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 24th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is presently 29.58%.

Costco Wholesale Company 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.