Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC Decreases Stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC reduced its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 91.1% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 3,784 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 38,824 shares during the period. Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $3,263,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the business. McLaughlin Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $516,000. Bauman Advisory Group LLC purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth approximately $1,065,000. White Knight Strategic Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 35.2% in the 4th quarter. White Knight Strategic Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 880 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $759,000 after purchasing an additional 229 shares during the period. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, Hamilton Wealth LLC grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 5.9% in the 4th quarter. Hamilton Wealth LLC now owns 611 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $527,000 after purchasing an additional 34 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on COST shares. Citigroup started coverage on Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday. They set a “neutral” rating and a $1,020.00 price target on the stock. Roth Mkm lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Raymond James Financial upped their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Daiwa Securities Group increased their target price on Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 10th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $1,050.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,061.45.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

COST opened at $951.45 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $421.95 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.86, a PEG ratio of 4.61 and a beta of 0.88. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,096.50. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $1,000.19 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $969.01. 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 data on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.94 by ($0.01). Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. The firm had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $4.28 earnings per share. Equities analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st were issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is 29.58%.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s latest operating update showed strong momentum, with comparable sales up 9.8%, membership fees rising 10.7%, and digitally enabled sales jumping 21.5%, reinforcing the company’s durable growth story. Prediction: Costco Will Trade At This Price in 2027
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentators continue to highlight Costco’s competitive advantages, loyal membership base, and ongoing technology investments to improve the shopping experience and ease customer pain points like parking. Costco tackles major frustration for members
• Positive Sentiment: Several recent articles frame the stock weakness as a possible buying opportunity, pointing to Costco’s resilient business model and long-term compounding potential. Why Weakness in Dividend-Paying Costco Stock Is a Strong Buying Opportunity
• Neutral Sentiment: Fresh media coverage around Costco products, store hours, and local development approvals is supportive of brand visibility, but these items are unlikely to materially move the stock on their own. Is Costco open on Juneteenth?
• Negative Sentiment: Investor sentiment remains cautious because Costco’s premium valuation is being questioned amid macro uncertainty and sticky inflation, with one recent note saying growth may not fully justify the stock’s price. Should You Buy Costco Stock for the Long Haul? Here’s the Honest Answer.
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst disagreement is also weighing on the shares, with one report noting Costco fell after Citi and Bernstein issued conflicting views on the big-box retailer. Costco Stock (COST) Drops as Analysts Can’t Agree on the Big-Box Retailer

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.