Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Sold by Quadrant Capital Group LLC

Key Points

• Quadrant Capital Group reduced its Costco stake by 11.1% in the third quarter, selling 1,209 shares and retaining 9,713 shares valued at approximately $9.27 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 68.48% of Costco.
• Costco reported stronger-than-expected quarterly results, with earnings of $6.75 per share and revenue of $95.72 billion, up 11.1% year over year. The company also declared a quarterly dividend of $1.47 per share, representing a 0.6% annualized yield.
• Analysts maintain a generally positive view, with a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,086.19, although Costco’s elevated valuation and competitive pressure from Walmart remain key risks.

Quadrant Capital Group LLC lessened its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 11.1% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 9,713 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 1,209 shares during the period. Quadrant Capital Group LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $9,272,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. State Street Corp increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 31.7% in the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 23,901,594 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $22,359,224,000 after purchasing an additional 5,749,362 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 11.5% in the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 7,515,031 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $7,488,203,000 after purchasing an additional 773,651 shares during the period. Diamant Asset Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 99,278.0% in the first quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. now owns 6,726,899 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $672,690,000 after purchasing an additional 6,720,130 shares during the period. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 5.5% in the second quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 3,068,312 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $2,870,314,000 after purchasing an additional 160,893 shares during the period. Finally, Amundi lifted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 11.1% during the 1st quarter. Amundi now owns 2,839,016 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,828,881,000 after buying an additional 283,360 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 0.4%

COST stock opened at $998.31 on Thursday. 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 0.11, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.62. The stock has a market capitalization of $442.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.09, a PEG ratio of 4.25 and a beta of 0.88. The business's fifty day moving average price is $935.99 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $962.90.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, September 24th. The retailer reported $6.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $6.54 by $0.21. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.04% and a return on equity of 27.60%. The company had revenue of $95.72 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $94.97 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $5.87 earnings per share. Costco Wholesale's quarterly revenue was up 11.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 22.70 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Investors of record on Friday, October 30th will be given a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, October 30th. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 28.32%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts recently commented on COST shares. Sanford C. Bernstein reduced their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,144.00 to $1,143.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Friday, September 25th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $950.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, September 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,015.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, September 25th. UBS Group restated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, September 17th. Finally, Oppenheimer restated an "outperform" rating and set a $1,160.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Wednesday, September 16th. Twenty-five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,086.19.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Value proposition strengthened by inflation: With consumer prices rising 3.7% year over year and gasoline prices up sharply, Costco’s low-margin, high-volume model and reported 14% markup cap could attract shoppers seeking lower prices. Inflation and Costco’s value model
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support: CICC initiated coverage of Costco with an “Outperform” rating, adding a new bullish view on the company’s long-term prospects. CICC Costco coverage
• Positive Sentiment: Expansion and membership durability: Costco operates 292 of its 939 warehouses outside the U.S. and Puerto Rico, leaving room for overseas membership growth. Articles also highlight the company’s strong customer retention, a feature that supports recurring membership revenue. Costco overseas membership growth
• Positive Sentiment: Digital execution: Costco, Walmart and Target are benefiting from faster delivery, AI-enabled shopping and marketplace partnerships, supporting continued e-commerce growth. Retail digital sales growth
• Neutral Sentiment: ETF purchases and coverage describing Costco’s desserts, pumpkin pie, tote bags and planned South Meridian warehouse opening reinforce brand engagement and store expansion, but are unlikely to materially affect near-term earnings. ETF purchases of Costco
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco’s supplier controls and food-safety procedures may protect customer trust, though attention to food-safety risks highlights an ongoing operational issue for grocery retailers. Costco food-safety procedures
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation risk: Costco trades at the highest earnings multiple among six large retailers in one comparison, despite ranking only fifth in operating margin. That premium leaves less room for execution disappointments and may limit upside. Costco valuation versus rivals
• Negative Sentiment: Walmart’s aggressive holiday-sales ambitions and early Black Friday promotions reinforce competitive pressure, particularly around price and convenience. Walmart holiday competition

Insider Activity

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 1,100 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $958.21, for a total value of $1,054,031.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 3,094 shares in the company, valued at $2,964,701.74. The trade was a 26.23% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,200 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $915.93, for a total transaction of $2,015,046.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 7,134 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,534,244.62. This represents a 23.57% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Costco Wholesale Profile

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a membership-based warehouse retail business under the Costco name. The company sells merchandise in bulk and at competitive prices through warehouse clubs and e-commerce platforms, serving individual consumers, businesses and other organizations.

Its product selection includes groceries and fresh foods, household supplies, appliances, electronics, furniture, apparel, health and beauty products, jewelry, automotive products and prescription drugs. Costco also provides services such as optical care, pharmacy services, hearing-aid sales, travel offerings and fuel sales, depending on location.

The company traces its roots to Price Club, which opened in San Diego in 1976.

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