AustralianSuper Pty Ltd Sells 49,527 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• AustralianSuper Pty Ltd cut its Costco stake by 25.1% in the fourth quarter, selling 49,527 shares and leaving it with 147,586 shares valued at about $127.3 million.
• Costco continues to draw bullish business developments, including the acquisition of a 55-acre site in Fort Myers, Florida, which could support a major new warehouse or related expansion.
• The company reported strong quarterly results and raised its dividend: EPS of $4.58 beat estimates, revenue rose 9.2% year over year, and the quarterly payout increased to $1.47 from $1.30.

AustralianSuper Pty Ltd trimmed its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 25.1% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 147,586 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 49,527 shares during the quarter. AustralianSuper Pty Ltd's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $127,269,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Optima Capital LLC raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.9% in the third quarter. Optima Capital LLC now owns 1,192 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,104,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Gratus Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.8% during the third quarter. Gratus Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,399 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,295,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Cascade Investment Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.0% during the third quarter. Cascade Investment Group Inc. now owns 1,151 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,065,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Brown Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 3.7% in the third quarter. Brown Wealth Management LLC now owns 305 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $282,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Caliber Wealth Management LLC KS increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.7% in the third quarter. Caliber Wealth Management LLC KS now owns 655 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $606,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco acquired a 55-acre site in Fort Myers, Florida, signaling room for a major new warehouse or related retail development and supporting its expansion strategy. Costco Acquires 55-Acre Site in Fort Myers, Marking One of Southwest Florida's Largest and Highest-Value Land Sales
• Positive Sentiment: New commentary highlighted Costco’s strong membership economics, noting 82.1 million paid memberships and an 89.7% global renewal rate, which suggests resilient recurring revenue even as inflation pressures households. Inflation Just Hit 3.8% and Nine Out of Ten Costco Members Re-Up Every Year. Here Is Why That Math Matters.
• Positive Sentiment: Additional bullish coverage emphasized Costco’s durable business model and continued store-growth potential, reinforcing investor confidence in the company’s long-term earnings power. Costco Just Signed Off on a Massive Retail Real Estate Deal in Florida. Here's What Investors Need to Know About Costco's Store Growth Goals.
• Neutral Sentiment: One analyst note argued Costco remains a strong company but is still trading at a premium valuation, which may temper enthusiasm even with solid fundamentals. Costco: Strong Fundamentals Meet Growth Premium - A Hold Entering FQ3'26
• Negative Sentiment: Another Seeking Alpha piece raised a bearish view on Costco, suggesting valuation remains a reason to sell despite the company’s operational strength. Costco: Another Reason To Sell (Besides The Valuation)

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the transaction, 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 filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have issued reports on the company. TD Cowen reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, March 6th. Weiss Ratings raised Costco Wholesale from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 17th. Citigroup restated a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Finally, Oppenheimer lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has given 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 $1,047.27.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

COST opened at $1,041.25 on Friday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $1,000.06 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $954.40. 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 Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,067.08. The firm has a market capitalization of $461.95 billion, a PE ratio of 54.15, a P/E/G ratio of 5.09 and a beta of 0.92.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The company had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $4.02 EPS. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.32 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

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

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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