Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Stake Increased by Woodstock Corp

Key Points

• Woodstock Corp increased its Costco stake by 8.6% in the third quarter, bringing its holdings to 23,711 shares worth approximately $21.6 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 68.48% of Costco.
• Costco’s latest quarterly results exceeded expectations, with adjusted earnings of $6.75 per share and revenue of $95.72 billion, up 11.1% year over year.
• The stock opened at $959.44, while analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $1,046.27; however, its premium valuation near 46 times earnings and low dividend yield remain potential risks.

Woodstock Corp grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 8.6% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 23,711 shares of the retailer's stock after buying an additional 1,874 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale makes up 1.7% of Woodstock Corp's portfolio, making the stock its 12th largest position. Woodstock Corp's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $21,585,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. State Street Corp grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 31.7% during 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 Costco Wholesale by 11.5% in the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 7,515,031 shares of the retailer's stock worth $7,488,203,000 after purchasing an additional 773,651 shares during the last quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 838.9% during the 4th quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 6,125,405 shares of the retailer's stock worth $5,282,182,000 after buying an additional 5,472,968 shares in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 3.4% in the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,328,729 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $3,732,836,000 after buying an additional 143,150 shares during the last quarter. Finally, UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 5.5% in the 2nd 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 buying an additional 160,893 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 1.3%

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $959.44 on Tuesday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $930.81 and a 200 day simple moving average of $963.26. The stock has a market cap of $425.16 billion, a PE ratio of 46.22, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.05 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11. 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 released its earnings results on Thursday, September 24th. The retailer reported $6.75 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.54 by $0.21. The firm had revenue of $95.72 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $94.97 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 27.60% and a net margin of 3.04%. The company's quarterly revenue was up 11.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $5.87 earnings per share. Research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 22.85 EPS for the current year.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: September sales accelerated: Costco reported September net sales of approximately $30.02 billion, up 13.0% year over year. The result reinforces expectations for resilient consumer demand and was a key catalyst for renewed investor interest. Costco Wholesale Posts 13% September Sales Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Digital momentum remains strong: September digital sales increased 19%, aided by expanded delivery options and personalization. Continued e-commerce growth provides an additional avenue for Costco to increase sales beyond its warehouse base. Costco's September Digital Sales Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Long-term shareholder appeal: Commentary highlights Costco’s history of share-price appreciation and dividend growth. Its dividend increased substantially over the past five years, while investors continue to anticipate potential special dividends. Costco Dividend Income Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Potential warehouse expansion: Filings indicate a proposed West Oakland Costco could employ hundreds, suggesting continued investment in the company’s physical-store footprint. West Oakland Costco Employment Plans
• Neutral Sentiment: Membership value is mixed: Costco’s bulk pricing can provide low per-unit costs, but the $65 annual membership and large package sizes may not benefit every household. This supports the value proposition for high-volume shoppers but offers limited evidence of a broad sales catalyst. Costco Grocery Staple Pricing Analysis
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and yield risks: COST trades at roughly 45–46 times earnings, while the 10-year Treasury yield has reached 5.2%, far above Costco’s dividend yield. Higher bond yields can make the stock less attractive to income-focused investors and increase pressure on its premium valuation. Costco Stock Versus 10-Year Treasury Yields
• Negative Sentiment: Fuel-related growth may be less durable: Higher gasoline prices have boosted reported sales at Costco’s fuel operations. If prices decline, some of the recent sales growth could fade, though cheaper gasoline could benefit household budgets and merchandise spending. Impact of Cheaper Gas on Costco Sales and Margins

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,200 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $915.93, for a total transaction of $2,015,046.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 7,134 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,534,244.62. The trade was a 23.57% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on COST. Guggenheim restated a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, September 28th. Robert W. Baird set a $1,175.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued a "sector perform" rating and set a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday. Freedom Broker cut their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,030.00 to $1,010.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Finally, BTIG Research reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $1,125.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Wednesday, September 23rd. Twenty-three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,046.27.

Costco Wholesale Profile

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a membership-based warehouse retail business under the Costco name. The company sells a broad selection of merchandise, including groceries, fresh foods, beverages, appliances, electronics, furniture, apparel, jewelry, hardware, and seasonal products. It also offers services such as gasoline, pharmacies, optical departments, hearing-aid centers, food courts, travel services, and business delivery in selected markets.

Costco markets many products under its private-label Kirkland Signature brand and sells merchandise through warehouse locations and e-commerce platforms.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding COST? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report).

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.