Advisors Preferred LLC Acquires 5,748 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Advisors Preferred LLC grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 332.8% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 7,475 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 5,748 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale accounts for approximately 1.1% of Advisors Preferred LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 26th largest position. Advisors Preferred LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $7,448,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of COST. Diamant Asset Management Inc. lifted its stake 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 valued at $672,690,000 after purchasing an additional 6,720,130 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth $5,195,415,000. Corient Private Wealth LLC raised its holdings in 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 in the last quarter. Cardano Risk Management B.V. raised its holdings in 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 valued at $1,539,346,000 after buying an additional 1,607,833 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1,586.8% in the fourth quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 1,137,436 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $980,857,000 after buying an additional 1,070,005 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

NASDAQ COST opened at $921.75 on Wednesday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,096.50. 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 stock has a market capitalization of $408.78 billion, a PE ratio of 46.37, a P/E/G ratio of 4.49 and a beta of 0.88. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $980.00 and a 200 day simple moving average of $976.98.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. During the same period last year, the business earned $4.28 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 24th will be given a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 24th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is currently 29.58%.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total value of $847,343.25. Following the sale, the director 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 is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: William Blair highlighted Costco as one of the consumer names best positioned to handle inflation and uneven spending, reinforcing the company’s defensive appeal in a cautious consumer environment. Casey’s, Costco, and Other Consumer Stocks for Uncertain Times
• Positive Sentiment: RBC initiated coverage with a $1,000 price target and a “sector perform” rating, calling Costco one of retail’s best stories and suggesting meaningful upside from current levels. Costco Wholesale is now covered by Royal Bank Of Canada
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple articles noted that Costco continues to win market share thanks to its unique membership-and-volume model, while also benefiting from resilient sales and digital growth. Costco Wholesale to Sustain Market Share Gains on ‘Unique’ Model, RBC Capital Markets Says
• Neutral Sentiment: Jim Cramer reiterated his support for Costco, but this was more of a sentiment boost than a fresh business catalyst. Jim Cramer Unsurprisingly Sticks With Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST)
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco’s first standalone gas station and broader brand/media coverage may help reinforce the company’s low-price image, but the direct stock impact is likely limited. Costco opens first standalone gas station
• Negative Sentiment: Costco is facing scrutiny over a proposed class-action lawsuit alleging its protein powder contained undisclosed heavy metals, which could pressure investor sentiment around product quality and trust. Costco (COST) Faces Protein Powder Heavy Metals Lawsuit And A Test Of Trust
• Negative Sentiment: Some coverage emphasized that Costco’s premium valuation remains a concern, especially as June sales showed strong demand but slower comparable sales growth. Are Costco’s June Sales Enough to Defend Its Rich Valuation?

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Citigroup started coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, June 18th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $1,020.00 price target for the company. 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 report on Tuesday, May 19th. Roth Capital upped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. DA Davidson reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $1,000.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, June 4th. Finally, Mizuho set a $1,100.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,059.07.

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.