Kepler Cheuvreux Suisse SA trimmed its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST – Free Report) by 94.9% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 2,258 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 42,433 shares during the period. Kepler Cheuvreux Suisse SA’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $1,947,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.
A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Hurley Capital LLC boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the third 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. Joseph Group Capital Management purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at about $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Collier Financial bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at approximately $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
COST has been the topic of several research reports. Citigroup reissued a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Daiwa Securities Group upped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 10th. Telsey Advisory Group upped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Costco Wholesale from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 17th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,110.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, April 17th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,046.03.
Costco Wholesale Price Performance
Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $1,008.79 on Monday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,067.08. The stock has a market capitalization of $447.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.97 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a fifty day moving average of $998.03 and a 200-day moving average of $951.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 1.06.
Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The firm’s revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $4.02 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.32 EPS for the current year.
Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st will be given a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 1st. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is currently 30.58%.
Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale
Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:
- Positive Sentiment: April net sales rose 13% and comparable sales remained strong, signaling resilient demand and solid momentum for Costco’s core business. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports April Sales Results
- Positive Sentiment: Bank of America reiterated a Buy rating after the sales update, pointing to Costco’s steady comparable sales trend despite macro uncertainty. Costco April sales top expectations despite Easter shift, macroeconomic uncertainty
- Positive Sentiment: Deutsche Bank raised its price target and kept a Buy rating, adding to bullish sentiment around the stock. Deutsche Bank adjusts Costco Wholesale PT
- Positive Sentiment: Market chatter around a possible special dividend later this year may be attracting income-focused investors to COST. Is Costco Preparing Another Special Dividend This Year?
- Neutral Sentiment: Costco is also in the news for store expansion plans in California and Florida, which is constructive long term but not an immediate stock catalyst. Costco plots major California expansion as it announces new store openings
- Neutral Sentiment: Several lifestyle and product roundups highlight Costco’s strong brand and value perception, but these are unlikely to move the stock much on their own.
- Negative Sentiment: A lawsuit over Costco’s tariff-refund pricing strategy could create legal and margin uncertainty, though the longer-term financial impact is still unclear. Costco’s Going to Court Because It Wants to Give You Tariff Refunds
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the completion of the sale, 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 sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.
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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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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