Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Purchased by Swiss Life Asset Management Ltd

Key Points

• Swiss Life Asset Management increased its Costco stake by 7.5% in the second quarter, bringing its holdings to 141,125 shares valued at approximately $132 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 68.48% of the company.
• Costco reported quarterly revenue of $70.53 billion, exceeding estimates, while EPS of $4.93 narrowly missed the $4.94 consensus. The company maintains a $1.47 quarterly dividend, equivalent to a 0.6% yield.
• Analysts remain broadly positive, with a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $1,059.53, but valuation remains elevated at roughly 48 times earnings, leaving the stock vulnerable to slower growth or margin pressure.

Swiss Life Asset Management Ltd boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 7.5% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 141,125 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 9,850 shares during the quarter. Swiss Life Asset Management Ltd's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $132,018,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the business. World Investment Advisors increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 8.4% in the fourth quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 20,081 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $15,835,000 after buying an additional 1,560 shares in the last quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 24.5% during the 4th quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 140,429 shares of the retailer's stock worth $121,098,000 after acquiring an additional 27,625 shares in the last quarter. Sarasin & Partners LLP grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 6.9% in the 2nd quarter. Sarasin & Partners LLP now owns 214,194 shares of the retailer's stock worth $200,372,000 after acquiring an additional 13,795 shares during the last quarter. Perryman Financial Advisory Inc. AD acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth $9,300,000. Finally, Retail Employees Superannuation Pty Ltd as trustee for Retail Employees Superannuation Trust acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth $5,813,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Market-share gains in Canada: Costco is now Canada’s second-largest grocery store chain, indicating continued customer adoption and potential for international growth. Costco Wholesale Is Now Canada’s Second Largest Grocery Store Chain
• Positive Sentiment: Resilient value proposition: Analysts continue to highlight Costco’s ability to attract and retain members through low prices, including inexpensive gasoline. This value positioning could support demand as consumers remain selective. Retail Stocks Poised for an Earnings Beat
• Positive Sentiment: Expansion remains a growth driver: Seven additional U.S. locations are planned for 2026, adding warehouse capacity and supporting membership and sales growth over time. Seven New Costco Locations Coming in 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Tariff-refund uncertainty: Costco says it will return tariff-related refunds to customers, but the timing and mechanics remain unclear. The policy may reinforce customer goodwill, although refunds could create temporary administrative and cash-flow considerations. Costco Tariff Refunds
• Neutral Sentiment: Operational and competitive updates: Costco will close U.S. warehouses on September 7 for Labor Day, while rival BJ’s continues expanding. These developments are unlikely to materially change near-term earnings but highlight ongoing competitive dynamics. Costco Labor Day Closure
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation remains a concern: Despite a recent pullback, Costco’s roughly 48-times P/E ratio leaves limited room for execution misses. Moderating sales growth and potential margin pressure could keep investors cautious, particularly after the latest quarter narrowly missed EPS expectations. Is Costco Stock Worth Buying Now or Still Too Pricey to Touch?

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 0.0%

COST opened at $961.05 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $426.21 billion, a PE ratio of 48.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.57 and a beta of 0.87. The business has a 50-day moving average of $949.77 and a 200-day moving average of $981.32. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,096.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.61.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.94 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $4.28 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 24th were given a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is currently 29.58%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the sale, the director directly owned 4,779 shares of the company's stock, valued at $4,575,653.55. This trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

COST has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. DA Davidson reiterated a "neutral" rating and issued a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, June 4th. BTIG Research reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $1,125.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, May 29th. Oppenheimer boosted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, May 19th. HC Wainwright restated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,059.53.

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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

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