Bank of Nova Scotia Reduces Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Bank of Nova Scotia reduced its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 43.0% in the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 215,977 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 163,155 shares during the quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $215,210,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Brighton Jones LLC increased its position in Costco Wholesale by 12.3% during the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 19,825 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $18,165,000 after buying an additional 2,172 shares in the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 13.1% in the fourth quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,123 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,029,000 after acquiring an additional 130 shares in the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 4.5% during the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 3,853 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,814,000 after acquiring an additional 165 shares during the last quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% during the second quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. now owns 2,110 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,089,000 after acquiring an additional 23 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Schnieders Capital Management LLC. boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.2% during the second quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 8,502 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $8,416,000 after acquiring an additional 182 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco is expanding its warehouse footprint with several planned new locations across multiple states, including a first store in some markets, which could support membership growth, sales, and regional market share. Costco plans several new stores in multiple states: Here’s where
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts continue to view Costco favorably, with consensus ratings still at “Moderate Buy,” reinforcing confidence in the company’s defensive business model and long-term earnings power. Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) Receives Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s early Executive Membership success in China and continued warehouse expansion there could improve fee income and customer loyalty, creating a new growth catalyst outside the U.S. Why China Could Become Costco’s Next Membership Catalyst
• Positive Sentiment: New product launches and retailer exclusives from brands like Laifen and Jackery show Costco remains an attractive distribution channel, supporting traffic and merchandising momentum. Is Costco Wholesale (COST) Undervalued As New Product Launches Test Its Premium Valuation?
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary focused on Costco’s high dividend growth and durable earnings model adds to the bullish long-term case, but it does not appear to be a new catalyst on its own. Will Costco (COST) be Able to Continue High Dividend Growth?
• Neutral Sentiment: Reports about a new standalone gas station and local tax revenue from store openings highlight business expansion, but they are more incremental than transformative for the stock. Costco Officially Launched Standalone Gas Stations. Don’t Count on This Fueling Another Leg Higher in COST Stock. Costco could bring millions in new tax revenue to Clarksville, leaders say
• Negative Sentiment: Investor concern remains around Costco’s premium valuation, with recent commentary questioning whether the stock is still undervalued after its strong run. Is Costco Wholesale (COST) Undervalued As New Product Launches Test Its Premium Valuation?
• Negative Sentiment: Legal headlines noting multiple lawsuits this year may add some overhang, even if the direct financial impact is still unclear. Costco had 3 lawsuits filed against it this year: See why

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages recently weighed in on COST. Guggenheim reissued a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Oppenheimer boosted their price objective 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. Finally, HC Wainwright reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,059.07.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale 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 transaction of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at $4,575,653.55. This represents a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 0.1%

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $926.06 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,096.50. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $968.19 and a 200-day moving average of $980.24. The stock has a market capitalization of $410.69 billion, a PE ratio of 46.58, a P/E/G ratio of 4.48 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $4.28 earnings per share. On average, analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

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

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.