Assetmark Inc. Raises Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Assetmark Inc. increased its stake in Costco by 5.4% in Q4 to 56,955 shares worth about $49.1 million, while institutional investors collectively own 68.48% of the company.
• Costco beat Q earnings and sales (EPS $4.58 vs. $4.55; revenue $69.6B, up 9.2% YoY), and analysts hold a consensus "Moderate Buy" with an average target near $1,043, although valuation is elevated (P/E ~50.7, PEG ~4.8) which could limit upside.
• Costco pays a quarterly dividend of $1.30 (annualized $5.20, yield ~0.5%), while insiders have sold about 2,038 shares in the past three months and now own roughly 0.10% of the stock.

Assetmark Inc. raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 5.4% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 56,955 shares of the retailer's stock after buying an additional 2,897 shares during the period. Assetmark Inc.'s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $49,114,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Hurley Capital LLC boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the 3rd 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 period. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Collier Financial purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $35,000. AXS Investments LLC purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $974.80 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.59. The firm has a market capitalization of $432.47 billion, a P/E ratio of 50.69, a P/E/G ratio of 4.83 and a beta of 0.99. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,067.08. The company's fifty day moving average price is $995.68 and its 200 day moving average price is $943.54.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. Costco Wholesale's quarterly revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $4.02 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 30th were paid a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 30th. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is currently 27.04%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Citigroup restated a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, February 20th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Costco Wholesale from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 17th. Oppenheimer raised their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a "buy" rating and issued a $1,050.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets raised 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 report on Friday, March 6th. 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 company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,043.13.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total value of $838,321.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 4,228 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,169,907.28. The trade was a 16.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction on 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 transaction, 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. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 2,038 shares of company stock worth $2,007,916. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: March sales and comps were robust, with reports of a mid-single-digit to high-single-digit comps jump and strong digital growth, supporting the case for continued top-line strength and membership-driven resilience. Is Costco Stock a Buy Now After Strong March Retail Sales?
• Positive Sentiment: International sales are outpacing U.S. growth in March, signaling that overseas markets are becoming a larger part of Costco’s growth mix—a constructive diversification of revenue drivers. Costco's International Sales Surge Signals Shift in Growth Mix
• Positive Sentiment: Higher fuel prices are already boosting Costco’s fuel sales and foot traffic, which can lift comps and average ticket—even as consumers remain price-aware. Higher Gas Prices Are Already Having a Positive Impact on Costco's Sales
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is pursuing U.K. expansion (Aylesford/Kent), launching a public consultation and creating jobs—local openings can boost international footprint and long-term member growth. Aylesford earmarked for Kent’s first Costco as wholesaler launches public consultation
• Positive Sentiment: Brokerage coverage remains generally favorable (consensus “Moderate Buy”), keeping analyst support intact despite mixed near-term views. Costco Wholesale Corporation NASDAQ: COST Given Consensus Rating of "Moderate Buy" by Brokerages
• Neutral Sentiment: New product/food-court items and popular low-priced apparel/gadget features keep customer engagement high but are unlikely to move the stock materially on their own. Costco Introduces New Caramel and Churro Soft Serve Sundae Dessert to Food Court
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation is a headwind—commentary highlights a premium P/E and a PEG that could limit upside; some analysts caution that the high multiple and recent pullback make further gains dependent on continued execution. Is Costco Stock a Buy Now After Strong March Retail Sales?
• Negative Sentiment: Technical/near-term pressure: the stock has pulled back from recent highs and sits below its 50-day moving average, which can prompt short-term selling by momentum-focused traders. Costco Wholesale Trading Down 0.6%

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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