KCM Investment Advisors LLC cut its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST – Free Report) by 0.9% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 114,938 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 1,072 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale accounts for 3.2% of KCM Investment Advisors LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 4th biggest holding. KCM Investment Advisors LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $99,115,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Lbmc Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.5% in the fourth quarter. Lbmc Investment Advisors LLC now owns 2,041 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,760,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Somerset Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.3% in the third quarter. Somerset Group LLC now owns 4,220 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $3,906,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Hughes Financial Services LLC raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 4.3% in the third quarter. Hughes Financial Services LLC now owns 268 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $245,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Bank & Trust Co raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 18.3% during the fourth quarter. Bank & Trust Co now owns 71 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $61,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Finally, LongView Wealth Management raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% during the fourth quarter. LongView Wealth Management now owns 1,025 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $966,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Costco Wholesale News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Erste Group Bank lifted its FY2026 and FY2027 earnings forecasts for Costco, signaling expectations for stronger profitability ahead.
- Positive Sentiment: Commentary in 24/7 Wall St. emphasized Costco’s membership-fee model as a resilient source of recurring revenue that can support long-term earnings growth.
- Positive Sentiment: Barchart coverage noted Costco as one of the retail names rewarding shareholders with a higher dividend, reinforcing the company’s capital-return appeal.
- Neutral Sentiment: Coverage that Costco offers shopping without a membership in limited cases is mainly informational and not likely to materially affect the stock.
- Neutral Sentiment: The Iowa court decision involving a former Costco manager appears to be a legal headline with limited direct impact on the company’s overall financial outlook.
- Negative Sentiment: Bloomberg reported rising plastic input costs may lead to higher prices for consumer goods later this year, which could add inflation pressure to Costco’s retail environment and potentially squeeze margins or demand.
Costco Wholesale Stock Performance
Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.94 by ($0.01). Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.The company had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $4.28 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current year.
Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend
The business also recently disclosed 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 was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 29.58%.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
A number of research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Costco Wholesale from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Thursday, June 4th. BTIG Research reissued a “buy” rating and set a $1,125.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Sanford C. Bernstein upped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,192.00 to $1,194.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,060.41.
Check Out Our Latest Analysis on COST
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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