Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Stock Position Raised by Ascent Wealth Partners LLC

Ascent Wealth Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 54.1% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 5,356 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 1,880 shares during the quarter. Ascent Wealth Partners LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $5,337,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in COST. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth about $31,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth about $33,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Erste Group Bank raised its FY2026 EPS estimate for Costco to $20.52 from $20.49, slightly above the Street consensus of $20.38, suggesting analysts still see modest earnings upside. Earnings forecast boost article
• Positive Sentiment: Costco remains a favorite dividend name, with its next ex-dividend date set for July 24, which may attract income-focused investors ahead of the payout. Dividend article
• Neutral Sentiment: A profile of a longtime Costco cashier who became a millionaire highlights the company’s employee retention and compensation culture, but it is unlikely to materially affect near-term fundamentals. Employee profile article
• Neutral Sentiment: Several local news items about new warehouses, gas stations, and remodels point to ongoing store expansion and reinvestment, but they are not major stock-moving catalysts by themselves.
• Negative Sentiment: MarketBeat said Costco’s June sales showed cooling comparable sales and weak international results, keeping the stock in “neutral” territory despite its premium valuation. Cooling comp sales article
• Negative Sentiment: Additional commentary from Zacks and Yahoo Finance argued Costco shares still look expensive after a strong multi-year run, reinforcing valuation concerns that can weigh on the stock. Valuation debate article

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $940.87 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $417.26 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.33, a P/E/G ratio of 4.56 and a beta of 0.88. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $975.73 and its 200 day simple moving average is $977.54. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,096.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its 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 company had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $4.28 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.39 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 24th will be 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 of this dividend is Friday, July 24th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is currently 29.58%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts recently weighed in on the stock. TD Cowen reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $1,175.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. HC Wainwright restated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Oppenheimer upped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 19th. Truist Financial raised their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Finally, BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $1,125.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,059.07.

Insider Activity

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 value of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the transaction, 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 ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

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.