13,311 Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Sold by SteelPeak Wealth LLC

Key Points

• SteelPeak Wealth reduced its Costco stake by 44.4%: The firm sold 13,311 shares during the third quarter, retaining 16,664 shares valued at approximately $15.17 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 68.48% of Costco.
• Costco exceeded quarterly expectations: The retailer reported $6.75 in earnings per share versus a $6.54 consensus estimate and revenue of $95.72 billion, up 11.1% year over year.
• Analyst sentiment remains favorable, but valuation is elevated: Costco has a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating and a $1,087.40 average price target, while shares trade at a high P/E ratio of 47.64. The company also declared a quarterly dividend of $1.47 per share, yielding approximately 0.6%.

SteelPeak Wealth LLC trimmed its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 44.4% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 16,664 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 13,311 shares during the period. SteelPeak Wealth LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $15,170,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of COST. Sarasin & Partners LLP increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 6.9% in the 2nd quarter. Sarasin & Partners LLP now owns 214,194 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $200,372,000 after buying an additional 13,795 shares during the last quarter. Nissay Asset Management Corp Japan raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 4.1% during the second quarter. Nissay Asset Management Corp Japan now owns 158,416 shares of the retailer's stock worth $148,193,000 after acquiring an additional 6,200 shares in the last quarter. Silvant Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the second quarter valued at $16,013,000. Hyperion Asset Management Ltd lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 9.0% in the second quarter. Hyperion Asset Management Ltd now owns 68,762 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $64,325,000 after acquiring an additional 5,656 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 15.0% in the 2nd quarter. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC now owns 22,766 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $21,297,000 after acquiring an additional 2,974 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of COST opened at $989.11 on Monday. The company's 50-day moving average is $933.15 and its 200-day moving average is $963.04. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.62. The firm has a market capitalization of $438.30 billion, a PE ratio of 47.64, a PEG ratio of 4.23 and a beta of 0.88. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, September 24th. The retailer reported $6.75 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.54 by $0.21. The business had revenue of $95.72 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $94.97 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.04% and a return on equity of 27.60%. Costco Wholesale's revenue was up 11.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $5.87 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 22.70 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 30th will be issued a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, October 30th. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is currently 28.32%.

Key Costco Wholesale News

Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:

• Positive Sentiment: September sales accelerated: Costco reported September net sales of $30.02 billion, up 13% year over year, while digitally enabled sales increased 19%. The results reinforce the strength of Costco’s membership model, e-commerce business and value-focused offering. September Sales Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support remains strong: Tigress Financial reiterated a Buy rating while setting a $1,065 price target after previously publicizing a higher $1,250 target. Other coverage highlights Costco’s sales growth, membership loyalty and digital gains, supporting the recent recovery above key moving averages. Tigress Financial Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend maintained: Costco declared a quarterly dividend of $1.47 per share, payable November 13 to shareholders of record October 30. While the approximately 0.6% yield is modest, the payment signals continued cash-flow strength. Costco Dividend Announcement
• Positive Sentiment: Expansion pipeline: Proposed warehouse projects in Macon and Oakland, along with a planned Merced County relocation, point to continued investment in Costco’s store network. Infrastructure financing of up to $30 million could support the Macon development. Macon Costco Project
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco’s fiscal 2027 executive bonus plan adds sustainability-related measures. The change may support long-term operational goals, but it is unlikely to materially affect near-term earnings. Costco Executive Bonus Update
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and macro risks remain: Costco trades at a high earnings multiple, leaving the stock vulnerable if growth or membership trends slow. Persistent inflation and potentially higher interest rates could also pressure consumer spending and market valuations.
• Negative Sentiment: An executive sold 1,100 shares worth approximately $1.05 million. The transaction is relatively small compared with Costco’s market value, but it may add a modest cautionary signal for investors. Costco Insider Sale

Insider Activity

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 1,100 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $958.21, for a total transaction of $1,054,031.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 3,094 shares in the company, valued at $2,964,701.74. This trade represents a 26.23% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,200 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $915.93, for a total value of $2,015,046.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 7,134 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,534,244.62. This represents a 23.57% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

COST has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Guggenheim restated a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, September 28th. Roth Capital reaffirmed a "sell" rating and issued a $781.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, September 25th. Freedom Broker cut their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,030.00 to $1,010.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, September 25th. UBS Group reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, September 17th. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded Costco Wholesale from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a report on Thursday, October 8th. Twenty-four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,087.40.

Costco Wholesale Profile

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a membership-based warehouse retail business under the Costco name. The company sells merchandise in bulk and at competitive prices through warehouse clubs and e-commerce platforms, serving individual consumers, businesses and other organizations.

Its product selection includes groceries and fresh foods, household supplies, appliances, electronics, furniture, apparel, health and beauty products, jewelry, automotive products and prescription drugs. Costco also provides services such as optical care, pharmacy services, hearing-aid sales, travel offerings and fuel sales, depending on location.

The company traces its roots to Price Club, which opened in San Diego in 1976.

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