Hendley & Co. Inc. lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST – Free Report) by 119.9% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 7,128 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 3,886 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale comprises 2.2% of Hendley & Co. Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its 17th largest holding. Hendley & Co. Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $6,147,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 0.4% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 43,620,717 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $37,615,889,000 after purchasing an additional 165,349 shares during the last quarter. Amundi grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 45.0% during the 3rd quarter. Amundi now owns 3,176,606 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,893,697,000 after purchasing an additional 986,182 shares during the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.1% during the 3rd quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 3,145,241 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,911,331,000 after purchasing an additional 34,826 shares during the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 8.5% during the 3rd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 1,619,703 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,499,246,000 after purchasing an additional 127,495 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Principal Financial Group Inc. grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 0.7% during the 3rd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 1,210,837 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,120,787,000 after purchasing an additional 8,259 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
Costco Wholesale News Summary
Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Costco opened a long-awaited warehouse in New Braunfels, Texas, adding to its store base and reinforcing investor confidence in continued unit growth and market expansion. Long-awaited Costco Wholesale now open in New Braunfels
- Positive Sentiment: Another report confirmed the New Braunfels store is now open for business, underscoring Costco’s ongoing rollout of new locations that can support membership and revenue growth. Costco Wholesale now open for business in New Braunfels
- Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market commentary continue to favor Costco’s membership-driven model, saying it benefits from resilient grocery demand and supports steady growth even in a volatile retail backdrop. WMT or COST: Which Retail Giant Looks More Attractive Now?
- Positive Sentiment: Costco’s purchase of a 55-acre property in Florida suggests the company is still investing in significant long-term store growth, which investors typically view as a sign of confidence in future demand. Costco Just Signed Off on a Massive Retail Real Estate Deal in Florida. Here’s What Investors Need to Know About Costco’s Store Growth Goals.
- Neutral Sentiment: Articles debating whether Costco is still a good buy after its multi-year rally mostly reinforce that the stock remains a quality business but is expensive, making the reaction more about valuation than any new fundamental change. Is It Too Late To Consider Costco Wholesale (COST) After Its Strong Multi Year Rally
- Neutral Sentiment: Coverage on Costco’s food court chicken tender launch is generating consumer buzz, but the main takeaway is mixed, with some concerns about whether it replaces a favorite item rather than clearly boosting the investment outlook. Costco food court chicken tender launch sparks concerns over item replacement
- Negative Sentiment: Some recent commentary flags Costco’s premium valuation and argues the stock may be difficult to justify at current levels, which can temper enthusiasm despite strong fundamentals. Costco: Strong Fundamentals Meet Growth Premium – A Hold Entering FQ3’26
- Negative Sentiment: Another Seeking Alpha piece argues there is a reason to sell Costco beyond valuation, adding to the cautious tone around the stock’s elevated price level. Costco: Another Reason To Sell (Besides The Valuation)
Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
COST has been the topic of several analyst reports. Daiwa Securities Group upped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 10th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Citigroup reiterated a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, February 20th. TD Cowen reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Truist Financial upped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $926.00 to $977.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,047.27.
View Our Latest Analysis on Costco Wholesale
Costco Wholesale Price Performance
Costco Wholesale stock opened at $1,048.95 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $465.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 54.55, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.16 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.59. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,067.08. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $1,000.90 and a two-hundred day moving average of $955.06.
Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $4.02 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 earnings per share for the current year.
Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend
The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st were given a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is currently 30.58%.
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.
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