Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Sold by Praxis Investment Management Inc.

Key Points

• Praxis Investment Management reduced its Costco stake by 21.4% in Q4, selling 1,543 shares and retaining 5,673 shares worth about $4.89 million.
• Costco beat quarterly expectations with EPS $4.58 (vs. $4.55) and revenue $69.60B (up 9.2% YoY), and raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 (annualized $5.88; ex-dividend May 1), yielding ~0.6%.
• Top‑line momentum vs. valuation: April net sales rose 13.0% to $23.92B and higher gas prices boosted traffic, but the stock trades at an elevated P/E (~52) and carries a MarketBeat consensus of "Moderate Buy" (target ~$1,045.97).

Praxis Investment Management Inc. reduced its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 21.4% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 5,673 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 1,543 shares during the period. Praxis Investment Management Inc.'s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $4,892,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.4% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 43,620,717 shares of the retailer's stock worth $37,615,889,000 after buying an additional 165,349 shares during the last quarter. Amundi increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 45.0% in the 3rd quarter. Amundi now owns 3,176,606 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,893,697,000 after acquiring an additional 986,182 shares during the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% in the 3rd quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 3,145,241 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,911,331,000 after acquiring an additional 34,826 shares during the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 8.5% during the 3rd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 1,619,703 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,499,246,000 after acquiring an additional 127,495 shares during the period. Finally, Principal Financial Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.7% during the 3rd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 1,210,837 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,120,787,000 after acquiring an additional 8,259 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 2.0%

COST opened at $995.75 on Thursday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,067.08. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $997.75 and a 200-day simple moving average of $950.96. The firm has a market cap of $441.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 51.78, a P/E/G ratio of 5.01 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $4.02 EPS. The company's quarterly revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. 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. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st will be paid a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a 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 currently 30.58%.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Gordon Haskett raised their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. DA Davidson reaffirmed a "neutral" rating and set a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, April 10th. Raymond James Financial upped their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Daiwa Securities Group raised their target price on Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 10th. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised Costco Wholesale from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 17th. 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, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,045.97.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: April sales beat expectations — Costco reported April net sales of $23.92 billion, up 13.0% year‑over‑year, and net sales for the first 35 weeks rose 9.5% to $197.18 billion; U.S. comparable sales were +11.7% for the 4‑week period, supporting revenue momentum. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports April Sales Results
• Positive Sentiment: Higher gasoline prices are a tailwind — multiple reports note rising U.S. pump prices have lifted fuel sales and basket sizes at Costco, a meaningful near‑term boost to top‑line results. Costco reports strong sales for April as higher gas prices provide a lift
• Positive Sentiment: Ongoing expansion and fuel footprint — local development (new Milwaukee County warehouse) and recent gas station openings expand capacity and capture fuel margins and traffic. Construction starts soon on Costco's first Milwaukee County store after land deal Costco opens Camarillo gas station ahead of warehouse construction
• Neutral Sentiment: Prepared remarks/transcript available — the company’s period‑ending/trading statement prepared remarks were posted; they summarize results but did not (in reports) include major guidance changes that would materially alter the outlook. Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) Period Ending/ Trading Statement Call Prepared Remarks Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Minor merchandising and menu updates — product launches and a change to the hot‑dog combo may help customer experience and traffic but are unlikely to move near‑term results materially. The Best New Costco Groceries Hitting Shelves This Month Costco just changed its famous $1.50 hot dog combo. Here’s what’s new
• Negative Sentiment: Shares slid amid a broader market rally — despite the sales beat and gas tailwind, investors sold into strength; the move looks like profit‑taking/rotation after COST’s strong YTD performance. Costco (COST) Stock Slides as Market Rises: Facts to Know Before You Trade
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and industry caution — COST’s valuation is elevated (P/E ~52, PEG ~5) and Moody’s warns of a challenging retail backdrop; stretched multiples and any slowdown in discretionary spending could pressure the stock. Walmart, Costco poised to win amid unfavorable retail environment

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.

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