Local Pensions Partnership Investment Ltd Sells 14,588 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Local Pensions Partnership Investment Ltd decreased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 9.8% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 133,912 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 14,588 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale accounts for 2.6% of Local Pensions Partnership Investment Ltd’s portfolio, making the stock its 18th largest position. Local Pensions Partnership Investment Ltd’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $125,255,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Great Lakes Retirement Inc. boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.7% in the 2nd quarter. Great Lakes Retirement Inc. now owns 10,138 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $9,484,000 after purchasing an additional 72 shares during the period. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 37.3% during the second quarter. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA now owns 322,321 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $301,525,000 after buying an additional 87,615 shares during the period. Ascentis Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 11.7% in the second quarter. Ascentis Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,691 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,522,000 after buying an additional 281 shares in the last quarter. CAP Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 3.0% in the second quarter. CAP Partners LLC now owns 514 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $481,000 after buying an additional 15 shares in the last quarter. Finally, SkyOak Wealth LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 10.0% in the second quarter. SkyOak Wealth LLC now owns 2,291 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,143,000 after buying an additional 208 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was 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 approximately $4,575,653.55. This represents 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 this link. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 0.8%

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $961.35 on Wednesday. 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 Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,096.50. The firm has a market cap of $426.34 billion, a PE ratio of 48.36, a PEG ratio of 4.57 and a beta of 0.87. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $949.20 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $981.20.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 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 return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $4.28 EPS. Analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th were paid a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is 29.58%.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco plans to offer co-branded Medicare Advantage plans with nonprofit insurer SCAN Group, initially in two states pending regulatory approval. The offerings may eventually include pharmacy, vision, hearing and over-the-counter benefits, potentially increasing member engagement and monetization. Costco launching Medicare Advantage plans with SCAN Group
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market commentary continue to highlight Costco’s Executive membership growth, digital sales conversion and rising fee income as evidence that the company is extracting more value from its membership base. Costco also retains broadly favorable analyst coverage, with a consensus view around “Moderate Buy.” Can Costco Stock Reach New Highs in Member Monetization?
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco brought back a popular Kirkland product discontinued two years ago. The move may support customer goodwill and traffic, but it is unlikely to materially affect earnings or valuation. Costco discontinued this Kirkland favorite 2 years ago. Now it’s back
• Negative Sentiment: Despite a 121% five-year total return, Costco’s valuation remains a concern. Its elevated earnings multiple leaves less room for disappointment, particularly after the latest quarterly EPS slightly missed estimates, even though revenue exceeded expectations. Costco Stock Looks Fully Priced Despite 121% Returns And Earnings Questions

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts recently commented on COST shares. Truist Financial boosted their price objective 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. Guggenheim reiterated a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Bank of America raised their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Mizuho set a $1,100.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. Finally, BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $1,125.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price 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.