Bellecapital International Ltd. cut its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 25.2% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 17,740 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 5,975 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale makes up approximately 2.7% of Bellecapital International Ltd.'s investment portfolio, making the stock its 15th largest holding. Bellecapital International Ltd.'s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $15,298,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Several other large investors also recently modified their holdings of COST. Hurley Capital LLC raised its position in shares of 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 purchasing an additional 18 shares during the period. Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at about $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at about $34,000. Collier Financial bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth about $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth about $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
More Costco Wholesale News
Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
COST has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Raymond James Financial raised their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Rothschild & Co Redburn raised their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $1,050.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. UBS Group set a $1,175.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Roth Mkm reaffirmed a "sell" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,045.97.
Check Out Our Latest Research Report on COST
Costco Wholesale Price Performance
Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $1,011.70 on Monday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $996.93 and a 200-day moving average of $950.04. The stock has a market capitalization of $448.84 billion, a PE ratio of 52.61, a PEG ratio of 4.98 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,067.08.
Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $4.02 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st will be given a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 1st. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is presently 30.58%.
Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale
In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total value of $732,204.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.
Costco Wholesale Profile
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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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