1,738 Shares in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Purchased by SBI Okasan Asset Management Co.Ltd.

Key Points

• SBI Okasan Asset Management opened a new position in Costco during the fourth quarter, buying 1,738 shares valued at about $1.5 million.
• Institutional interest in Costco remains strong, with hedge funds and other investors holding 68.48% of the stock. Several firms, including Assenagon and Amundi, significantly increased their stakes.
• Costco’s latest quarterly results were mixed: revenue beat expectations at $70.53 billion, but EPS slightly missed estimates at $4.93 versus $4.98. The company also raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share.

SBI Okasan Asset Management Co.Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 1,738 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $1,508,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in COST. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1,586.8% during the 4th quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 1,137,436 shares of the retailer's stock worth $980,857,000 after acquiring an additional 1,070,005 shares in the last quarter. Amundi raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 45.0% during the 3rd quarter. Amundi now owns 3,176,606 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,893,697,000 after purchasing an additional 986,182 shares during the last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 182.4% during the 4th quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 536,059 shares of the retailer's stock worth $462,265,000 after purchasing an additional 346,208 shares during the last quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 112.2% during the 3rd quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC now owns 477,425 shares of the retailer's stock worth $441,919,000 after purchasing an additional 252,453 shares during the last quarter. Finally, PFA Pension Forsikringsaktieselskab acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth approximately $213,362,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total value of $732,204.60. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This trade represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $995.20 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $441.52 billion, a PE ratio of 51.75, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.94 and a beta of 0.92. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,096.50. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $1,008.28 and its 200-day simple moving average is $962.53. 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 released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.98 by ($0.05). The business had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $69.68 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.During the same quarter last year, the company earned $4.28 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.33 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 paid a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 30.58%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

COST has been the subject of several analyst reports. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Roth Mkm reiterated a "sell" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Bank of America initiated coverage on Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, February 27th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $1,185.00 price target for the company. TD Cowen reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated an "outperform" rating and issued a $1,192.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Tuesday, May 12th. Twenty-one equities 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 company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,051.18.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco reported fiscal Q3 results that topped sales expectations, with revenue of $70.53 billion, same-store sales up 9.8%, and strong demand for essentials and gasoline helping drive traffic. Reuters article
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts remained upbeat after the report, with Morgan Stanley reaffirming an Overweight rating and raising its price target to $1,130, while William Blair kept a Buy rating on Costco’s resilient fundamentals and member-driven growth. Morgan Stanley rating article William Blair rating article
• Positive Sentiment: The company highlighted record-breaking fuel volume and strong digital growth, reinforcing the view that Costco is still taking share from value-conscious consumers. Zacks earnings call article
• Neutral Sentiment: The earnings report was mixed on the bottom line, with EPS of $4.93 slightly missing estimates of $4.98, even as profit rose year over year and revenue beat expectations. MarketBeat earnings report
• Negative Sentiment: Investors are also weighing margin pressure, as higher transportation costs and compressed gross margins may limit near-term upside despite the strong sales trend. Motley Fool article

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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