Washburn Capital Management Inc. cut its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST – Free Report) by 28.5% during the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 2,079 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 829 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale comprises approximately 1.2% of Washburn Capital Management Inc.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 16th biggest holding. Washburn Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $2,072,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
A number of other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in COST. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at about $31,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at about $33,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.
Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale
In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was 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 represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Costco Wholesale
Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale
Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Analysts remained generally constructive, with multiple firms reiterating Buy/Overweight views and price targets around or above current levels, suggesting Wall Street still sees upside for Costco despite the recent pullback.
- Positive Sentiment: Costco announced a quarterly dividend of $1.47 per share, reinforcing its shareholder-return profile. Costco stock overview and dividend note
- Positive Sentiment: Management also expanded its digital wallet feature, which could improve checkout speed and customer convenience. Costco makes payment change that could speed up checkout for members
- Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data showed no meaningful change, with reported short interest at zero shares, offering little signal for near-term trading.
- Negative Sentiment: Investors are focusing on a slowdown in June sales momentum and weaker adjusted comparable-sales growth, which raises concern that Costco may be losing some near-term growth speed. Reuters article reference
- Negative Sentiment: Competition is intensifying as Walmart and Kroger cut prices, increasing pressure on Costco’s value proposition and margin outlook.
- Negative Sentiment: New headlines about a class-action lawsuit alleging Costco sold protein powder with heavy metals add legal and reputational risk. Consumers sue Costco over heavy metals in protein powder
Costco Wholesale Stock Performance
Costco Wholesale stock traded up $3.28 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $916.25. 2,099,105 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,488,933. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week 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 firm has a market cap of $406.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.09, a P/E/G ratio of 4.42 and a beta of 0.88. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $983.66 and its 200 day simple moving average is $975.25.
Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.94 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $4.28 EPS. On average, analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 7th. Investors of record on Friday, July 24th will be issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is presently 29.58%.
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.
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