Resona Asset Management Co. Ltd. decreased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST – Free Report) by 1.7% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 179,534 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 3,036 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale comprises approximately 0.7% of Resona Asset Management Co. Ltd.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 19th largest holding. Resona Asset Management Co. Ltd.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $154,974,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.4% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 43,620,717 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $37,615,889,000 after purchasing an additional 165,349 shares during the last quarter. Amundi grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 45.0% in the 3rd quarter. Amundi now owns 3,176,606 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,893,697,000 after buying an additional 986,182 shares during the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% in 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 buying an additional 34,826 shares during the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 8.5% in 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 buying an additional 127,495 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Principal Financial Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.7% in 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 buying an additional 8,259 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.
Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale
Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Costco reported strong April sales, with net sales up 13.0% year over year, comparable sales rising 11.6%, and digital sales climbing 18.8%, reinforcing its reputation as a defensive retailer benefiting from value-focused consumer spending. Costco’s April Sales Reinforce Its Case as the Ultimate Defensive Stock
- Positive Sentiment: The company boosted its quarterly dividend by 13% to $1.47 per share, a signal of confidence in cash generation that can attract income-oriented investors. Costco (COST) Surges to New 52-Week Peak Following Strong Dividend Boost
- Positive Sentiment: Several articles framed Costco as a breakout candidate after its recent rally, with commentary pointing to strong year-to-date momentum and a new 52-week high. Prediction: The Stage is Set for a Costco Stock Breakout
- Positive Sentiment: Costco is also gaining attention for product expansion and brand strength, including a test of new chicken strips in food courts and a broader rollout of mixsoon skincare products across U.S. warehouse locations. Costco is testing chicken strips in food courts and customers say they’re ginormous
- Neutral Sentiment: One article highlighted a legal issue tied to a disability discrimination verdict, which adds some headline risk but appears smaller than the company’s sales and dividend positives. How Investors Are Reacting To Costco Wholesale (COST) Double‑Digit April Sales, Florida Expansion And Jury Verdict
- Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary remains constructive overall, with coverage describing Costco as resilient and well positioned, but these pieces mainly reinforce an already favorable narrative rather than introducing a new catalyst. The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights Costco, Coca-Cola, AstraZeneca and Franklin Financial Services
Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
A number of research analysts recently commented on the stock. Gordon Haskett increased their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Mizuho boosted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,065.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, April 16th. Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, February 5th. UBS Group set a $1,175.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Evercore set a $1,100.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,047.27.
Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on COST
Costco Wholesale Stock Performance
Shares of COST opened at $1,076.47 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The firm has a market cap of $477.58 billion, a PE ratio of 55.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.16 and a beta of 0.92. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $1,002.78 and its 200-day simple moving average is $956.31. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,079.83.
Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The business had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $68.96 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $4.02 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 EPS for the current year.
Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st were issued a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.5%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is currently 30.58%.
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.
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