Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Sold by Motley Fool Wealth Management LLC

Key Points

• Motley Fool Wealth Management cut its Costco stake by 20.9% in the fourth quarter, selling 1,163 shares and leaving it with 4,402 shares valued at about $3.8 million.
• Costco’s latest quarter showed mixed results: earnings per share came in at $4.93, just below expectations, while revenue of $70.53 billion topped estimates and rose from $4.28 EPS a year earlier.
• The company raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share from $1.30, while analysts remain broadly positive with a consensus Moderate Buy rating and an average price target of $1,060.41.

Motley Fool Wealth Management LLC trimmed its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 20.9% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 4,402 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 1,163 shares during the period. Motley Fool Wealth Management LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $3,796,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Somerset Group LLC lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% in the third quarter. Somerset Group LLC now owns 4,220 shares of the retailer's stock worth $3,906,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the period. Hughes Financial Services LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 4.3% during the 3rd quarter. Hughes Financial Services LLC now owns 268 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $245,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Bank & Trust Co lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 18.3% during the 4th quarter. Bank & Trust Co now owns 71 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $61,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. LongView Wealth Management lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% during the 4th quarter. LongView Wealth Management now owns 1,025 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $966,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Capital Advisory Group Advisory Services LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.8% during the 4th quarter. Capital Advisory Group Advisory Services LLC now owns 607 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $523,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ COST opened at $968.59 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $429.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.72, a PEG ratio of 4.72 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a 50 day moving average of $1,006.30 and a 200-day moving average of $965.46. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last posted 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 firm had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $4.28 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st were issued a $1.47 dividend. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 29.58%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on the company. 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 research report on Friday, March 6th. Oppenheimer upped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 19th. Truist Financial upped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Rothschild & Co Redburn upped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Finally, Evercore set a $1,100.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, March 2nd. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,060.41.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco reported record demand for gasoline, which reinforces traffic and engagement at its warehouses and supports the company’s value proposition. Costco sees record demand for gas since Middle East war
• Positive Sentiment: Its digital sales jumped more than 21%, signaling continued momentum in e-commerce and omnichannel growth. Costco's Digital Sales Jumped 21% and Gas Volumes Hit a Record. So Why Did COST Stock Drop 5%?
• Positive Sentiment: Costco also lowered prices on select Kirkland Signature products, a move that could strengthen member loyalty and help drive traffic as shoppers look for value. Costco lowers prices on four private-label products across food, home goods and sports equipment aisles
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data appears unreliable in the filing shown, so it does not provide a clear read on sentiment.
• Negative Sentiment: Despite the strong operational updates, investors appeared to focus on valuation and near-term stock weakness, with commentary noting the shares have been falling in recent weeks. Should You Buy Costco Wholesale Stock While It's Below $1,000?

Costco Wholesale Company 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.