Arsenal Capital Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm bought 2,046 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $1,764,000. Costco Wholesale comprises approximately 1.2% of Arsenal Capital Advisors LLC's investment portfolio, making the stock its 21st largest holding.
Other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Hurley Capital LLC raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer's stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth $31,000. Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth $34,000. Finally, Collier Financial bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth $35,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several research analysts have recently weighed in on COST shares. UBS Group lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 20th. Bank of America lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Rothschild & Co Redburn lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Guggenheim reissued a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,192.00 to $1,194.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,060.41.
Read Our Latest Research Report on Costco Wholesale
Costco Wholesale Stock Performance
Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $971.87 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,096.50. The firm has a market capitalization of $431.00 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.89, a PEG ratio of 4.71 and a beta of 0.88. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $1,006.71 and a 200 day simple moving average of $963.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.59.
Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. The firm had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $4.28 earnings per share. On average, research 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 announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st were given a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is presently 29.58%.
Insider Buying and Selling
In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total value of $732,204.60. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. The trade was 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.
Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale
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
About Costco Wholesale
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Free Report)
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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