ASR Vermogensbeheer N.V. Boosts Stock Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• ASR Vermogensbeheer N.V. increased its stake in Costco by 10.1% to 102,612 shares valued at $88.485 million, making Costco about 1.0% of the fund and its 13th-largest holding.
• Operational and financial beat: April net sales rose roughly 13% year-over-year (partly driven by higher gasoline prices) and Costco topped quarterly estimates with EPS of $4.58 and revenue of $69.6 billion, up 9.2% versus last year.
• Costco raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 (annualized $5.88, ex-dividend May 1) and Wall Street remains largely positive—most analysts rate the stock Buy with an average target near $1,046.

ASR Vermogensbeheer N.V. boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 10.1% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 102,612 shares of the retailer's stock after buying an additional 9,415 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale makes up about 1.0% of ASR Vermogensbeheer N.V.'s holdings, making the stock its 13th largest position. ASR Vermogensbeheer N.V.'s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $88,485,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of COST. Hurley Capital LLC increased its holdings 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 buying 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 $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at $34,000. Collier Financial purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth about $36,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the stock in a transaction dated 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 in the company, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have issued reports on COST. BTIG Research reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $1,115.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, March 5th. TD Cowen reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, March 6th. Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Oppenheimer raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Bank of America began coverage on Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, February 27th. They set a "buy" rating and a $1,185.00 price objective on the stock. Twenty-two 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 stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,046.03.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: April sales beat expectations — Costco reported April net sales up ~13% year-over-year and positive comparable-store growth, a result analysts say shows resilient demand and helped lift the stock. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Gas prices provided a near-term revenue boost — commentary and coverage attribute part of April’s sales gain to higher gasoline prices, which lift fuel revenue and store traffic. This is being cited as a key reason for the stock’s uptick. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support remains intact — Deutsche Bank nudged its price target higher and kept a Buy rating; Bank of America reiterated Buy and a high price target after the April results, which can sustain investor confidence. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Longer-term growth narrative highlighted — bullish commentary and price‑target pieces point to membership and digital-sales momentum as catalysts that could support further upside over the next 12 months. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Operational/customer experience tweaks — Costco is rolling changes (self-checkout adjustments industry-wide, bakery improvements) that may modestly affect store throughput and satisfaction but are unlikely to move the stock materially on their own. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Marketing and in-store activity — initiatives like GEN Korean BBQ roadshows and new gas-station openings support foot traffic and product discovery, incremental positives for sales execution. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Competitive pressure — BJ’s Wholesale is expanding in North Texas, intensifying local competition versus Costco and Sam’s Club; investors should watch share dynamics in key markets. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Industry headwinds flagged — Moody’s and other coverage note a tougher retail backdrop and muted consumer demand in 2026, which could pressure comps if the macro trend weakens. Read More.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of COST opened at $1,012.06 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,067.08. The company has a market capitalization of $449.00 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.91 and a beta of 0.92. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $998.03 and a 200-day simple 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 earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The business had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $4.02 earnings per share. The business's quarterly revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.32 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st will be paid a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is currently 30.58%.

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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