Apollon Wealth Management LLC Acquires 7,834 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Apollon Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 16.6% in the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 55,033 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 7,834 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale comprises approximately 0.9% of Apollon Wealth Management LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 21st largest holding. Apollon Wealth Management LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $54,837,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Riverbend Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 9.3% in the 1st quarter. Riverbend Wealth Management LLC now owns 340 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $339,000 after buying an additional 29 shares in the last quarter. DDFG Inc grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 20.7% in the first quarter. DDFG Inc now owns 432 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $431,000 after acquiring an additional 74 shares during the period. LifeSteps Financial Inc. raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 4.6% during the first quarter. LifeSteps Financial Inc. now owns 1,638 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,632,000 after acquiring an additional 72 shares in the last quarter. Aspire Private Capital LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the first quarter worth $220,000. Finally, Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 137.9% during the first quarter. Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLC now owns 13,858 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $13,809,000 after acquiring an additional 8,032 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have recently weighed in on COST. Truist Financial upped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Oppenheimer boosted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 19th. Sanford C. Bernstein upped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,192.00 to $1,194.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Citigroup started coverage on Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, June 18th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $1,020.00 price target for the company. Finally, Bank of America boosted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. 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 stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,061.45.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of COST opened at $946.68 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.07. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,096.50. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $995.26 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $971.53. The firm has a market cap of $419.83 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.62, a PEG ratio of 4.61 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share 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 company had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $4.28 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st were paid a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 29.58%.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the firm’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 owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at $4,575,653.55. This trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Bernstein named Costco one of its top retail picks for the rest of 2026, reinforcing the view that the company remains a long-term winner thanks to its strong membership model, resilient traffic, and steady share gains. Costco Stock (COST) Crowned Top Retail Pick for the Rest of 2026 — Here’s Why
• Positive Sentiment: New coverage highlighted Costco’s AI efforts, noting that the company is using artificial intelligence to improve product listings and search, with digital traffic reportedly tripling and conversion rates strengthening. Costco (COST) Is Using AI To Triple Digital Traffic And Lift Conversions
• Positive Sentiment: Several articles pointed to Costco’s durable growth drivers, including high membership renewal rates, new warehouse openings, fuel stations, and e-commerce expansion, supporting the bull case for continued earnings growth. Can Costco Stock Reach $1,000 by the End of 2026?
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco-related lifestyle and product stories, including new bakery and bagel items, may help keep customers engaged, but they are unlikely to materially move the stock on their own. Costco shoppers are craving a hot new bakery item: ‘Give me 30’
• Neutral Sentiment: Citi’s resumed coverage with a Neutral rating and $1,020 target suggests Costco is viewed as a strong business, but with limited upside at current levels, which can temper enthusiasm near-term. Citi Resumes Coverage of Costco (COST)
• Negative Sentiment: Some commentary raised valuation and growth concerns, arguing that Costco’s premium multiple leaves less room for upside and that one of its key growth engines could be slowing, helping explain why the shares slipped despite positive headlines. Costco’s secret growth engine may be running out of gas

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.