Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Sold by SoundView Advisors Inc.

Key Points

• SoundView Advisors cut its Costco position by 34.1% in the fourth quarter, selling 972 shares and leaving it with 1,880 shares worth about $1.62 million.
• Costco reported better-than-expected fiscal Q3 results, with EPS of $4.58 versus $4.55 expected and revenue of $69.6 billion versus $68.96 billion expected, while revenue rose 9.2% year over year.
• The company also raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share from $1.30, and analysts remain generally positive, with a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $1,052.60.

SoundView Advisors Inc. trimmed its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 34.1% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,880 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 972 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale accounts for about 0.6% of SoundView Advisors Inc.'s holdings, making the stock its 18th biggest holding. SoundView Advisors Inc.'s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $1,621,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Hurley Capital LLC grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth $34,000. Collier Financial purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at $35,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at $33,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This trade represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of COST opened at $1,050.45 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $466.04 billion, a PE ratio of 54.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.28 and a beta of 0.92. The business's fifty day moving average price is $1,007.14 and its 200 day moving average price is $959.65. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.59. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share 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 analysts' expectations of $68.96 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $4.02 earnings per share. The firm's revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.33 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st were 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 was Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is 30.58%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have commented on COST. DA Davidson reiterated a "neutral" rating and issued a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, April 10th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Roth Mkm reaffirmed a "sell" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Finally, Evercore set a $1,100.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,052.60.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: UBS raised its price target on Costco to $1,275 and reiterated a buy rating, signaling confidence in the company’s growth and earnings power. UBS adjusts price target on Costco Wholesale to $1,275 from $1,205, maintains buy rating
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts continue to back Costco ahead of its fiscal Q3 report, saying the company is likely to deliver strong results despite macro pressures. Costco Expected to Deliver Strong Q3 Results Despite Macro Pressures, UBS Says
• Positive Sentiment: Recent articles highlight continued momentum in Costco’s stock, including record highs and renewed split speculation, reflecting strong investor enthusiasm. Costco Stock Tops $1,000 as Split Speculation Builds
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco is expanding its real estate footprint, with new land purchases and rezoning efforts tied to potential warehouse openings in Upstate New York and Central Georgia, which could support future growth but are unlikely to move the stock today. Costco buys $15.6 million in more Upstate NY land from Pyramid
• Neutral Sentiment: Some articles were largely consumer-interest pieces, including Costco’s new dessert, ethnic grocery selection, and the company’s membership/value proposition; these add to brand visibility but are not major stock drivers. Costco pays new members to join with rare offer
• Negative Sentiment: The main pressure point is valuation: with Costco already near record territory, some investors worry there is limited upside unless upcoming earnings clearly exceed lofty expectations. Costco Q3 Preview: Shares Are A Hold As Expectations Run High
• Negative Sentiment: Headlines about a tax dispute in Japan and broader retail competition, including Kroger’s planned price cuts, add a small amount of near-term noise and margin pressure concerns. Costco hit with 1.5 billion yen tab for undeclared consumption tax

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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