Calamos Wealth Management LLC Grows Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Calamos Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 13.3% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 9,699 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,135 shares during the period. Calamos Wealth Management LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $9,664,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. AMG National Trust Bank raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 3.1% in the first quarter. AMG National Trust Bank now owns 4,697 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $4,680,000 after buying an additional 141 shares in the last quarter. Retirement Planning Group LLC lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.2% in the first quarter. Retirement Planning Group LLC now owns 50,707 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $50,526,000 after buying an additional 612 shares during the period. Sterling Group Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $231,000. Integrity Wealth Solutions LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 25.7% in the 1st quarter. Integrity Wealth Solutions LLC now owns 518 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $516,000 after acquiring an additional 106 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bleakley Financial Group LLC boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 11.9% during the first quarter. Bleakley Financial Group LLC now owns 14,687 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $14,635,000 after purchasing an additional 1,561 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: RBC Capital described Costco as one of retail’s best stories and a top industry player, pointing to its unique membership model, market share gains, and resilient consumer demand. Several articles highlighted that the stock was gaining on the analyst optimism, which helped support the shares. Article: Costco Stock (COST) Gains As Analyst Says It Is ‘One of the Best Stories in Retail’
• Positive Sentiment: Commentary on Costco’s June sales and digital growth suggested the retailer is still seeing strong demand, with its low-price, high-volume model continuing to attract shoppers and defend market share. Article: Are Costco’s June Sales Enough to Defend Its Rich Valuation?
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple pieces compared Costco with Walmart, generally framing COST as an elite defensive retailer but noting that investors are weighing Costco’s premium valuation against its growth durability. Article: Costco vs. Walmart: 1 Dividend-Paying Retail Giant Stands Above the Other
• Neutral Sentiment: Stories about Costco’s cultural popularity and employee success reinforced the brand’s strength and consumer appeal, but they are not likely to materially move the stock on their own. Article: The One Thing Everyone in America Can Agree On? Costco
• Negative Sentiment: Costco is facing a proposed class-action lawsuit over an allegedly contaminated protein powder product, which could raise concerns about quality controls and consumer trust if the case gains traction. Article: Costco (COST) Faces Protein Powder Heavy Metals Lawsuit And A Test Of Trust
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts also flagged that Costco’s rich valuation and slowing comparable-sales growth could limit further upside, even though the business remains fundamentally strong. Article: Are Costco’s June Sales Enough to Defend Its Rich Valuation?

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages recently issued reports on COST. Bank of America increased their price target 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. Mizuho set a $1,100.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. UBS Group lifted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 20th. Sanford C. Bernstein boosted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,192.00 to $1,194.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Finally, HC Wainwright restated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,059.07.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred 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 transaction, the director owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at $4,575,653.55. This represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of COST opened at $926.43 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $410.85 billion, a PE ratio of 46.60, a P/E/G ratio of 4.44 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 current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $981.90 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $976.64.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued 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). The firm 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 firm earned $4.28 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

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