Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Purchased by World Investment Advisors

Key Points

• World Investment Advisors boosted its Costco stake by 8.4% in the fourth quarter, buying 1,560 more shares and bringing its holdings to 20,081 shares worth about $15.8 million.
• Institutional interest in Costco remains strong overall, with hedge funds and other large investors continuing to add shares; institutions now own 68.48% of the company.
• Costco continues to post solid operating results and upbeat analyst sentiment, including strong April sales growth, while analysts maintain a Moderate Buy consensus with an average price target of $1,047.27.

World Investment Advisors raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 8.4% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 20,081 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 1,560 shares during the period. World Investment Advisors' holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $15,835,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. FORA Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter worth $2,781,000. Teacher Retirement System of Texas grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 24.5% during the 4th quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 140,429 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $121,098,000 after purchasing an additional 27,625 shares in the last quarter. Curtis Advisory Group LLC grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 56.7% during the 4th quarter. Curtis Advisory Group LLC now owns 4,535 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $3,911,000 after purchasing an additional 1,641 shares in the last quarter. Mariner LLC grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.5% during the 3rd quarter. Mariner LLC now owns 399,894 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $370,140,000 after purchasing an additional 5,937 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Triad Wealth Partners LLC grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 174.4% during the 3rd quarter. Triad Wealth Partners LLC now owns 2,988 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $2,766,000 after purchasing an additional 1,899 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

COST has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Costco Wholesale from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 17th. UBS Group set a $1,175.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Finally, Mizuho increased their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,065.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 16th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,047.27.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco reported strong April results, with comparable sales and net sales rising sharply, while e-commerce growth surged and helped reinforce the strength of its membership model. Costco's April Sales Growth Highlights Strength in Membership Model
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts said Costco’s digitally enabled comparable sales jumped well above the company average, suggesting e-commerce could support a higher valuation over time. Why Costco's E-commerce Gains Could Drive Higher Valuation
• Positive Sentiment: TD Cowen issued a bullish view after visiting Costco’s headquarters, saying the retailer still has room to grow and warning that complacency is the bigger risk than demand weakness. Costco’s Biggest Risk Is Being Complacent, Analyst Says After HQ Visit
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple pieces framed Costco as a durable, recession-resistant consumer staple with a strong membership flywheel, which can support investor confidence in the stock. Why Costco Stock Could Be Recession-Proof
• Neutral Sentiment: Several articles focused on whether Costco is still a buy at current levels, with commentary suggesting the stock’s premium valuation may limit upside even though business trends remain strong. Should Investors Buy Costco Stock Now After Strong April Retail Sales?
• Neutral Sentiment: Other coverage noted Costco’s long-term growth opportunities and strong loyalty, but these were more strategic than immediate catalysts for the share price. Is This Costco's Hidden Growth Engine?
• Negative Sentiment: Some commentary warned that Costco’s stock has already run up significantly and may be vulnerable if investors decide the valuation is too rich or if consumer trends soften. Is It Time to Sell Costco Stock?

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated 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 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 transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 2.2%

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $1,021.88 on Wednesday. The firm's 50-day moving average is $998.78 and its 200-day moving average is $952.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 1.06. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,067.08. The company has a market cap of $453.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 53.14, a PEG ratio of 4.92 and a beta of 0.92.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last posted 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. 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 for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $4.02 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.32 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared 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 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 1st. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is 30.58%.

About Costco Wholesale

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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