Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Purchased by Copeland Capital Management LLC

Key Points

• Copeland Capital Management increased its Costco position by 1,031.1% in the third quarter, ending with 116,218 shares worth approximately $105.8 million. Institutional investors collectively own 68.48% of the company.
• Costco reported strong quarterly results, with revenue up 11.1% year over year and EPS of $6.75 exceeding estimates of $6.54; September sales rose 13%, while digital sales increased 19%.
• The stock trades at a premium valuation of about 46 times earnings, although analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target of $1,046.27.

Copeland Capital Management LLC boosted its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 1,031.1% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 116,218 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 105,943 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale comprises about 2.4% of Copeland Capital Management LLC's holdings, making the stock its 2nd largest position. Copeland Capital Management LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $105,798,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Sarasin & Partners LLP lifted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 6.9% during the 2nd quarter. Sarasin & Partners LLP now owns 214,194 shares of the retailer's stock worth $200,372,000 after buying an additional 13,795 shares during the last quarter. Nissay Asset Management Corp Japan boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 4.1% during the 2nd quarter. Nissay Asset Management Corp Japan now owns 158,416 shares of the retailer's stock worth $148,193,000 after buying an additional 6,200 shares during the period. Hyperion Asset Management Ltd boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 9.0% during the 2nd quarter. Hyperion Asset Management Ltd now owns 68,762 shares of the retailer's stock worth $64,325,000 after buying an additional 5,656 shares during the period. Silvant Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth about $16,013,000. Finally, Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 15.0% in the 2nd quarter. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC now owns 22,766 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $21,297,000 after buying an additional 2,974 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,200 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $915.93, for a total value of $2,015,046.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 7,134 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,534,244.62. This represents a 23.57% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Strong sales momentum: Costco reported September net sales of approximately $30.02 billion, up 13% year over year. Digital sales increased 19%, supported by expanded delivery options and personalization, indicating continued customer engagement beyond physical warehouses. Costco Wholesale Posts 13% September Sales Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Balance-sheet strength: Costco’s reported $21.3 billion liquidity cushion, manageable debt and robust cash generation give it flexibility to expand its warehouse network and invest in e-commerce. This provides an advantage over more financially constrained retail competitors. How Costco's Balance Sheet Gives It an Edge
• Positive Sentiment: Constructive earnings outlook: Erste Group raised its FY2027 EPS forecast to $22.80 from $22.67 and projects FY2028 EPS of $25.01, reinforcing expectations for continued earnings growth. Costco analyst earnings estimates
• Neutral Sentiment: Competitive and consumer considerations: Costco continues to outperform or pressure traditional grocery rivals such as Albertsons, while its bulk-pack format and $65 membership fee may not be equally attractive for every household. A potential West Oakland warehouse could support employment and local growth but is not an immediate earnings catalyst.
• Negative Sentiment: Premium valuation and income competition: COST trades at roughly 46 times earnings, well above the broader market. The 10-year Treasury yield near 5.2% significantly exceeds Costco’s dividend yield, which can reduce the stock’s appeal to income-focused investors and increase valuation pressure. Costco Stock Versus 10-Year Treasury Notes
• Negative Sentiment: Questions about sales quality: Higher gasoline prices contributed to reported sales growth at Costco’s fuel business. If gas prices decline, some of that revenue boost could fade, making the premium valuation harder to justify despite solid underlying membership and digital trends. What Cheaper Gas Would Mean for Costco Sales and Margins

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 0.5%

NASDAQ:COST opened at $954.63 on Wednesday. The firm's 50 day simple moving average is $930.95 and its 200 day simple moving average is $963.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.62. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,096.50. The company has a market cap of $423.03 billion, a PE ratio of 45.98, a P/E/G ratio of 4.07 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, September 24th. The retailer reported $6.75 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.54 by $0.21. The company had revenue of $95.72 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $94.97 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 27.60% and a net margin of 3.04%. The business's quarterly revenue was up 11.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $5.87 earnings per share. On average, research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 22.85 earnings per share for the current year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. BMO Capital Markets restated an "outperform" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, September 25th. Citigroup assumed coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, June 18th. They set a "neutral" rating and a $1,020.00 target price on the stock. Freedom Broker lowered their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,030.00 to $1,010.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, September 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,015.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Friday, September 25th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reduced their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,091.00 to $1,079.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, September 28th. Twenty-three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,046.27.

Costco Wholesale Company Profile

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a membership-based warehouse retail business under the Costco name. The company sells a broad selection of merchandise, including groceries, fresh foods, beverages, appliances, electronics, furniture, apparel, jewelry, hardware, and seasonal products. It also offers services such as gasoline, pharmacies, optical departments, hearing-aid centers, food courts, travel services, and business delivery in selected markets.

Costco markets many products under its private-label Kirkland Signature brand and sells merchandise through warehouse locations and e-commerce platforms.

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