First Bank & Trust Sells 1,706 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

First Bank & Trust lessened its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 21.6% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 6,210 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 1,706 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale accounts for about 0.9% of First Bank & Trust’s holdings, making the stock its 19th biggest position. First Bank & Trust’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $5,809,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Palisade Asset Management LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.4% in the 4th quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC now owns 702 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $605,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares during the period. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. now owns 3,194 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,754,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Wealth Effects LLC raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.2% in the first quarter. Wealth Effects LLC now owns 874 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $871,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares during the period. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.8% during the first quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. now owns 551 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $549,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Finally, First National Bank of Hutchinson grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.9% in the 1st quarter. First National Bank of Hutchinson now owns 1,098 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,094,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 0.5%

COST stock opened at $952.75 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.61. The stock has a market capitalization of $422.53 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.93, a P/E/G ratio of 4.51 and a beta of 0.87. The business has a 50-day moving average of $950.64 and a 200-day moving average of $982.05. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced 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 firm 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 in the prior year, the business posted $4.28 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 24th were paid a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 24th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 29.58%.

Insider Activity

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

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco reported July net sales of $23.12 billion, up 10.7% year over year. Comparable sales increased 8.9% overall and 10.3% in the United States, indicating resilient consumer demand and continued traffic strength. Costco Delivered Another Strong Sales Print in July
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts highlighted Costco’s value-focused pricing, quality merchandise, broad warehouse footprint and strong digitally enabled sales as advantages in a cautious consumer environment. The results suggest momentum could continue into the second half of the year. Can Costco Keep Its Sales Momentum Going After a Solid July?
• Positive Sentiment: Costco may add another warehouse in North Texas, signaling continued investment in store expansion. More locations could increase membership growth, sales and operating scale, although the potential site is not yet confirmed. Costco May Add Another Store in North Texas
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage of Costco’s rapid store construction points to an efficient expansion process, potentially helping the company open warehouses faster and capture demand, though it does not represent a new financial result. The Secret Behind Why Costco Stores Get Built So Fast
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage continues to emphasize Costco’s membership strength and growth opportunities, but the shares remain valued at a premium. Costco’s roughly 48 price-to-earnings ratio leaves less room for disappointment if sales growth slows or margins weaken. Top Analyst Reports for Costco, Chevron and Home Depot
• Negative Sentiment: Investors are still watching whether Costco can sustain its rapid sales pace after July. Its recent quarterly EPS slightly missed estimates, adding sensitivity to the upcoming earnings report despite a revenue beat. Can Costco Keep Its Sales Momentum Going After a Solid July?

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts recently commented on the company. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $1,175.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Wednesday, June 3rd. Mizuho set a $1,100.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Roth Capital boosted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Oppenheimer raised their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 19th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,192.00 to $1,194.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,059.53.

Costco Wholesale 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.