Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Sold by State of Wisconsin Investment Board

Key Points

• State of Wisconsin Investment Board reduced its Costco stake by 2% in the fourth quarter, selling 4,643 shares and leaving it with 232,243 shares worth about $200.3 million.
• Costco reported fiscal Q4 EPS of $4.93, just below analyst expectations, while revenue came in at $70.53 billion, slightly ahead of estimates. The company also continues to attract strong institutional interest, with 68.48% of shares owned by institutions and hedge funds.
• Costco raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share from $1.30, lifting the annualized payout to $5.88 and the yield to about 0.6%. Analysts remain generally positive, with an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $1,060.41.

State of Wisconsin Investment Board trimmed its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 2.0% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 232,243 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 4,643 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale makes up approximately 0.4% of State of Wisconsin Investment Board's investment portfolio, making the stock its 28th largest position. State of Wisconsin Investment Board owned approximately 0.05% of Costco Wholesale worth $200,272,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. FORA Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth approximately $2,781,000. World Investment Advisors grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 8.4% in the 4th quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 20,081 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $15,835,000 after buying an additional 1,560 shares in the last quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 24.5% in the 4th quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 140,429 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $121,098,000 after buying an additional 27,625 shares in the last quarter. Curtis Advisory Group LLC grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 56.7% in the 4th quarter. Curtis Advisory Group LLC now owns 4,535 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $3,911,000 after buying an additional 1,641 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mariner LLC grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.5% in the 3rd quarter. Mariner LLC now owns 399,894 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $370,140,000 after buying an additional 5,937 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $986.68 on Wednesday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $1,004.06 and a 200 day moving average of $968.46. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,096.50. The stock has a market capitalization of $437.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 49.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.74 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.61.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. The firm had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $4.28 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. BTIG Research reissued a "buy" rating and set a $1,125.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, May 29th. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Rothschild & Co Redburn boosted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Guggenheim reiterated a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. Finally, Truist Financial increased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,060.41.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks highlighted Costco’s growing traffic, stronger comparable sales, and gas-driven member engagement, reinforcing that its value proposition is still attracting shoppers. Costco's Growing Traffic Shows the Power of Its Value Strategy
• Positive Sentiment: Another Zacks note said Costco screens well for earnings acceleration, pointing to rising EPS growth trends that can support further upside in the shares. Costco & 2 Earnings Acceleration Stocks to Watch for Solid Upside
• Positive Sentiment: Yahoo Finance and other commentary emphasized Costco’s record gasoline sales, e-commerce growth, wellness offerings, and ongoing store expansion, all of which reinforce the company’s long-term growth story. Costco Leans On Gasoline, E Commerce And Wellness To Deepen Member Value
• Positive Sentiment: Several articles framed Costco as a top long-term growth name and suggested the stock still has room to run if membership strength and comparable sales remain solid. Why Costco (COST) is a Top Growth Stock for the Long-Term
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco remains a heavily watched stock, with investor attention amplified by bullish price-target speculation and debate over whether the company can break above $1,100 over time. Can Costco Stock Break $1,100 by 2027?
• Negative Sentiment: Despite the constructive outlook, one market note said Costco was among retailers that fell even as lower oil prices could have helped consumers, showing the stock can still be pressured by broader rotation or lack of immediate catalyst. It Wasn’t a Strait of Hormuz Relief Rally, After All

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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