ING Groep NV cut its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST – Free Report) by 43.7% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 52,718 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 40,846 shares during the quarter. ING Groep NV’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $45,461,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Hurley Capital LLC increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $31,000. Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at about $34,000. Finally, Collier Financial bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at about $35,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
Read Our Latest Analysis on Costco Wholesale
Costco Wholesale Price Performance
NASDAQ COST opened at $971.87 on Friday. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $1,006.71 and a 200 day simple moving average of $963.99. 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 0.59 and a current ratio of 1.07. The stock has a market cap of $431.00 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.89, a PEG ratio of 4.71 and a beta of 0.88.
Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST – Get Free Report) last posted 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). Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.The business had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $4.28 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st were given a dividend of $1.47 per share. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is currently 29.58%.
Key Costco Wholesale News
Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Costco posted another strong month, with May net sales up 14.5% year over year to $24.01 billion and comparable sales still running at a healthy pace, reinforcing the view that traffic and spending trends remain solid. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports May Sales Results
- Positive Sentiment: Analysts continued to point to Costco’s defensive fundamentals, strong U.S. comparable sales, fuel-driven traffic, and growing digital business as reasons for optimism on the stock. Costco Stock (COST) Keeps Wall Street Split despite Accelerating Sales
- Positive Sentiment: Costco’s ability to hold up during the broader market sell-off underscored its reputation as a defensive retailer, which may have helped support investor interest. Why Costco Stock Held Steady During Friday’s Market Sell-Off
- Neutral Sentiment: Several articles framed Costco as a high-quality long-term compounder, but also emphasized that its premium valuation leaves less room for error if growth slows. Costco stock price shocks market despite major blowout quarter
- Neutral Sentiment: Costco’s valuation remains a debate point on Wall Street, with some analysts maintaining Buy ratings and high price targets while others argue the stock already reflects much of the good news. Costco: Robust Comps and Reaccelerating Digital Sales Support Buy Rating, Price Target Reaffirmed at $1275
- Negative Sentiment: One recent note argued that Costco’s strong quarter was not enough to offset valuation worries, suggesting investors may be hesitant to pay up after the recent sales-driven rally. Costco’s Strong Quarter Still Leaves Investors with a Valuation Problem
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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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding COST? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST – Free Report).
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