Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Purchased by True North Advisors LLC

True North Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 7.7% in the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 10,935 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 784 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale makes up 1.2% of True North Advisors LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 19th largest position. True North Advisors LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $10,896,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth about $31,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth about $33,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 0.5%

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $940.87 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $417.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.33, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.56 and a beta of 0.88. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $975.73 and its 200-day simple moving average is $977.54. 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 Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,096.50.

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). The company 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 last year, the company earned $4.28 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.39 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

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

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 transaction, the director owned 4,779 shares of the company’s stock, 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 Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. HC Wainwright reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating and issued a $1,175.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Wednesday, June 3rd. Royal Bank Of Canada assumed coverage on Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, July 13th. They issued a “sector perform” rating and a $1,000.00 price target for the company. Oppenheimer increased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 19th. Finally, Bank of America raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,059.07.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Erste Group Bank raised its FY2026 EPS estimate for Costco to $20.52 from $20.49, slightly above the Street consensus of $20.38, suggesting analysts still see modest earnings upside. Earnings forecast boost article
• Positive Sentiment: Costco remains a favorite dividend name, with its next ex-dividend date set for July 24, which may attract income-focused investors ahead of the payout. Dividend article
• Neutral Sentiment: A profile of a longtime Costco cashier who became a millionaire highlights the company’s employee retention and compensation culture, but it is unlikely to materially affect near-term fundamentals. Employee profile article
• Neutral Sentiment: Several local news items about new warehouses, gas stations, and remodels point to ongoing store expansion and reinvestment, but they are not major stock-moving catalysts by themselves.
• Negative Sentiment: MarketBeat said Costco’s June sales showed cooling comparable sales and weak international results, keeping the stock in “neutral” territory despite its premium valuation. Cooling comp sales article
• Negative Sentiment: Additional commentary from Zacks and Yahoo Finance argued Costco shares still look expensive after a strong multi-year run, reinforcing valuation concerns that can weigh on the stock. Valuation debate article

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.