Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Bought by GSA Capital Partners LLP

GSA Capital Partners LLP boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 54.1% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 3,911 shares of the retailer's stock after buying an additional 1,373 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale accounts for 0.3% of GSA Capital Partners LLP's investment portfolio, making the stock its 15th largest position. GSA Capital Partners LLP's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $3,373,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Hurley Capital LLC raised 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 purchasing an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $31,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at about $34,000. Collier Financial purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at about $35,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $33,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco raised its quarterly dividend by 13% to $1.47 per share, marking 22 straight years of dividend increases and signaling confidence in cash generation. This helped push shares to new highs. Where Will Costco Stock Be In 2028?
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts turned more constructive ahead of the company’s May 28 earnings report, with Oppenheimer lifting its price target to $1,160 after strong April sales and the dividend hike. Costco (COST) Stock Gains as Analysts Raise Price Targets Before Quarterly Report
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s April sales reinforced its defensive appeal, with 11.6% comparable sales growth and 18.8% digital sales growth as value-focused shoppers kept buying in bulk. Costco's April Sales Reinforce Its Case as the Ultimate Defensive Stock
• Positive Sentiment: New food-court items, including chicken strips, are generating customer buzz and social media attention that may support traffic and membership loyalty. Forget chicken fingers, Costco quietly adds new food court item
• Neutral Sentiment: Several articles discuss whether Costco should split its stock now that shares are above $1,000, but management has not announced any split. Costco's Stock Keeps Breaking the $1,000 Threshold -- Don't Expect a Stock Split

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total value of $732,204.60. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This trade represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have recently commented on the company. BTIG Research reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $1,115.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, March 5th. TD Cowen reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, March 6th. Rothschild & Co Redburn increased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 17th. Raymond James Financial increased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,049.27.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 1.7%

NASDAQ:COST opened at $1,094.32 on Wednesday. The stock's 50 day moving average price is $1,004.71 and its 200 day moving average price is $957.59. The company has a market capitalization of $485.50 billion, a PE ratio of 56.91, a P/E/G ratio of 5.30 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The firm's quarterly revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $4.02 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st were paid a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 30.58%.

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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