Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Holdings Raised by Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc.

Key Points

• Envestnet Portfolio Solutions increased its Costco stake by 31.3% in the fourth quarter, ending with 34,113 shares worth about $29.4 million. The filing suggests institutional investors remain highly interested in Costco, with hedge funds and institutions owning 68.48% of the stock.
• Wall Street sentiment remains broadly positive, with analysts maintaining a Moderate Buy consensus and a $1,047.27 average price target. Recent price targets and ratings updates were mostly constructive, including several Buy calls and raised targets.
• Costco continues to show strong operating momentum, topping earnings expectations and recently raising its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share from $1.30. The company also reported strong sales growth, helping support the stock near its 52-week high.

Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 31.3% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 34,113 shares of the retailer's stock after buying an additional 8,127 shares during the period. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc.'s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $29,410,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Hurley Capital LLC lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer's stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares during the period. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at $34,000. Finally, Collier Financial bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at about $35,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms recently issued reports on COST. DA Davidson reaffirmed a "neutral" rating and set a $1,000.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, April 10th. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an "outperform" rating and set a $1,192.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Tuesday, May 12th. Gordon Haskett lifted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Costco Wholesale from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 17th. Finally, BTIG Research restated a "buy" rating and set a $1,115.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Twenty-two investment 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. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,047.27.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the business's 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 sale, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

NASDAQ COST opened at $1,076.47 on Tuesday. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $1,002.78 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $956.31. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The company has a market cap of $477.58 billion, a PE ratio of 55.98, a PEG ratio of 5.16 and a beta of 0.92. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,079.83.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS 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 company had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $68.96 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $4.02 earnings per share. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st were given a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is presently 30.58%.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco reported strong April sales, with net sales up 13.0% year over year, comparable sales rising 11.6%, and digital sales climbing 18.8%, reinforcing its reputation as a defensive retailer benefiting from value-focused consumer spending. Costco's April Sales Reinforce Its Case as the Ultimate Defensive Stock
• Positive Sentiment: The company boosted its quarterly dividend by 13% to $1.47 per share, a signal of confidence in cash generation that can attract income-oriented investors. Costco (COST) Surges to New 52-Week Peak Following Strong Dividend Boost
• Positive Sentiment: Several articles framed Costco as a breakout candidate after its recent rally, with commentary pointing to strong year-to-date momentum and a new 52-week high. Prediction: The Stage is Set for a Costco Stock Breakout
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is also gaining attention for product expansion and brand strength, including a test of new chicken strips in food courts and a broader rollout of mixsoon skincare products across U.S. warehouse locations. Costco is testing chicken strips in food courts and customers say they’re ginormous
• Neutral Sentiment: One article highlighted a legal issue tied to a disability discrimination verdict, which adds some headline risk but appears smaller than the company’s sales and dividend positives. How Investors Are Reacting To Costco Wholesale (COST) Double‑Digit April Sales, Florida Expansion And Jury Verdict
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary remains constructive overall, with coverage describing Costco as resilient and well positioned, but these pieces mainly reinforce an already favorable narrative rather than introducing a new catalyst. The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights Costco, Coca-Cola, AstraZeneca and Franklin Financial Services

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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