Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Sold by AEGON ASSET MANAGEMENT UK Plc

Key Points

• AEGON ASSET MANAGEMENT UK Plc trimmed its Costco stake by 2.9%, selling 1,098 shares and leaving 36,614 shares valued at about $31.6 million at the end of the quarter.
• Costco raised its quarterly cash dividend to $1.47 (annualized $5.88), with an ex-dividend date of May 1 and payment on May 15, implying a yield of roughly 0.6%.
• Costco posted a modest EPS beat ($4.58 vs. $4.55) and $69.6B in revenue (+9.2% YoY), while the September membership fee increase and ongoing warehouse expansion are supporting margin expansion and growth prospects.

AEGON ASSET MANAGEMENT UK Plc lowered its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 2.9% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 36,614 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 1,098 shares during the quarter. AEGON ASSET MANAGEMENT UK Plc's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $31,567,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Hurley Capital LLC lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer's stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth about $34,000. Collier Financial bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth about $35,000. AXS Investments LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth about $36,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth about $36,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Board raised the quarterly cash dividend to $1.47 (annualized $5.88), signaling confidence in cash flow and making the stock more attractive to income-focused investors. Costco (COST) Approves Quarterly Dividend Increase Amid Robust Sales Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage highlights that the September 2024 membership fee hike is now fully flowing into 2026 results, helping margin expansion and supporting recent EPS beats — a direct earnings tailwind. Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST): One of the Best Safe Stocks for Beginner Investors
• Positive Sentiment: Company continues to open new warehouses, plus a Costco Business Center and fuel station win that should boost regional sales and commercial accounts over time. Expansion supports long-term same-store growth and membership value. Costco aims for dozens more warehouses in coming years: Here’s when the newest open
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple commentary pieces debate valuation: some say near-$1,000 price is justified by cash generation and resilience, others warn the stock looks expensive — this debate can mute buying momentum. Is Costco's Stock Too Expensive Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: Market-note pieces pointing to recent intraday moves and the stock’s position relative to its all-time high are creating short-term trading interest but not new fundamental news. Costco (COST) Ascends While Market Falls: Some Facts to Note
• Negative Sentiment: Sam’s Club launched initiatives touted as reasons some members might switch, renewing concerns about competitive pressure on membership growth and price-driven traffic. Sam's Club just gave members a reason to ditch Costco
• Negative Sentiment: Rivals such as BJ’s are expanding into new markets (e.g., Texas), adding localized competition that could pressure price or fuel margins in certain regions. New BJ's locations Texas: Club rivaling Costco, Sam's expands to Texas

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

NASDAQ COST opened at $1,011.15 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,067.08. 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 stock has a market cap of $448.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.00 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $997.12 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $948.04.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last posted 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 firm had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $4.02 EPS. Costco Wholesale's quarterly revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st will be issued a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is 30.58%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

COST has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued an "outperform" rating and issued a $1,155.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Truist Financial boosted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $926.00 to $977.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Daiwa Securities Group boosted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 10th. Oppenheimer boosted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Citigroup reaffirmed a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,045.97.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at $6,139,485.42. This trade represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

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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