Osmosis Investment Management UK Ltd Makes New Investment in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Osmosis Investment Management UK Ltd acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 10,287 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $9,623,000.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of COST. Diamant Asset Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 99,278.0% in the 1st quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. now owns 6,726,899 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $672,690,000 after purchasing an additional 6,720,130 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at $5,195,415,000. Corient Private Wealth LLC grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 838.9% during the fourth quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 6,125,405 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $5,282,182,000 after buying an additional 5,472,968 shares during the last quarter. Ascentis Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 103,637.0% during the second quarter. Ascentis Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,500,062 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,549,616,000 after buying an additional 2,497,652 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cardano Risk Management B.V. increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 907.1% during the fourth quarter. Cardano Risk Management B.V. now owns 1,785,080 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,539,346,000 after acquiring an additional 1,607,833 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In related news, Director Kenneth Denman sold 885 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction on 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 approximately $4,575,653.55. This trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 0.3%

NASDAQ:COST opened at $925.41 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.07. The firm has a market cap of $410.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.55, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.85 and a beta of 0.86. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,096.50. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $944.31 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $978.18.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Investors of record on Friday, July 24th were given 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 of this dividend was Friday, July 24th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 29.58%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. DA Davidson reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and issued a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday. Bank of America boosted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Oppenheimer raised their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 19th. HC Wainwright reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target 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. Twenty-one 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. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,059.53.

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.