B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG Sells 18,720 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG reduced its Costco stake by 36.5%, selling 18,720 shares in Q4 and retaining 32,554 shares worth about $28.09 million per its SEC filing.
• Costco raised its quarterly dividend by roughly 13% to $1.47 per share (annualized $5.88, yield ~0.6%), with an ex-dividend/record date of May 1 and payment on May 15.
• Operational/analyst backdrop: Costco beat Q results (EPS $4.58 vs. $4.55; revenue $69.60B, +9.2% YoY), and analysts hold a "Moderate Buy" consensus with an average target near $1,045.97.

B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG cut its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 36.5% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 32,554 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 18,720 shares during the period. B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $28,087,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of COST. 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 valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at $34,000. Collier Financial bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at $35,000. AXS Investments LLC bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at $36,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Local expansion — Haltom City won a Costco Business Center with an attached fuel station, signaling continued footprint growth and fuel-margin revenue opportunities in a new market. Haltom City lands Costco Business Center, fuel station in major economic win
• Positive Sentiment: New store momentum — A Pensacola Costco has a tentative opening date, underscoring steady unit growth that supports longer-term sales and membership expansion. Pensacola's Costco has an opening date. Sort of.
• Positive Sentiment: Strategic rollout — Costco says it aims to open dozens more warehouses in the coming years, a clear growth plan that supports revenue and membership metrics. Expansion cadence is a direct driver of sales growth. Costco aims for dozens more warehouses in coming years: Here’s when the newest open
• Positive Sentiment: Shareholder return — The board approved a ~13% quarterly dividend increase to $1.47 per share, raising the annualized payout and making the stock more attractive to income-focused investors. Costco (COST) Approves Quarterly Dividend Increase Amid Robust Sales Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Investor bullishness — Analysis pieces argue that Costco remains a sector leader and that buying on recent pullbacks could be compelling for long-term investors, supporting demand for the stock. With Costco Down 7% From Its All-Time High, Could Buying Now Set You Up for Life?
• Neutral Sentiment: Market context — Coverage notes COST outperformed a weak market session, reflecting defensive demand but not changing fundamentals. Short-term price action may be tied to market rotation rather than new company catalysts. Costco (COST) Ascends While Market Falls: Some Facts to Note
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation discussion — Several analyst/opinion pieces question whether COST is “too expensive” near $1,000 a share despite strong fundamentals; valuation concerns could temper further rapid upside. Is Costco's Stock Too Expensive Now?
• Negative Sentiment: Rising competition — BJ’s Wholesale Club is expanding in Texas with new locations and low gas prices, representing localized competitive pressure that could affect membership and fuel margins in those markets. New BJ's locations Texas: Club rivaling Costco, Sam's expands to Texas

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the company'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 directly owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have recently commented on COST. Roth Mkm reissued a "sell" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,171.00 to $1,088.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Bank of America began coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, February 27th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $1,185.00 price target for the company. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,045.97.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 1.1%

Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $1,014.38 on Friday. The business's 50-day moving average is $997.26 and its 200 day moving average is $947.11. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,067.08. The firm has a market capitalization of $450.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 52.75, a P/E/G ratio of 4.95 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.59.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate 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 analyst estimates of $68.96 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $4.02 EPS. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st will be given a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is currently 27.04%.

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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