Westpac Banking Corp Purchases Shares of 985 Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Westpac Banking Corp purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) during the first quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm purchased 985 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $981,000.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth $31,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth $33,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have recently commented on COST shares. Weiss Ratings lowered Costco Wholesale from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Tuesday, June 23rd. Oppenheimer boosted their target price 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. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $1,175.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,059.07.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the business’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 owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 0.2%

NASDAQ:COST opened at $927.31 on Thursday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,096.50. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $970.49 and a 200-day simple moving average of $979.74. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The company has a market capitalization of $411.24 billion, a P/E ratio of 46.65, a PEG ratio of 4.49 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. The company had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $70.12 billion. During the same period last 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 year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 7th. Shareholders 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 yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 24th. Costco Wholesale’s 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.