DNB Asset Management AS Purchases 2,514 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• DNB Asset Management AS boosted its Costco stake by 2.9% in the fourth quarter, buying 2,514 additional shares and bringing its total holding to 88,026 shares valued at about $75.9 million.
• Costco continues to attract strong institutional interest, with 68.48% of shares owned by institutions, while EVP Claudine Adamo recently sold 730 shares in an insider transaction.
• Analysts remain broadly positive on Costco, with 22 Buy ratings and an average Moderate Buy rating, while the company also recently raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share from $1.30.

DNB Asset Management AS increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 2.9% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 88,026 shares of the retailer's stock after buying an additional 2,514 shares during the quarter. DNB Asset Management AS's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $75,908,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Hurley Capital LLC grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer's stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Joseph Group Capital Management acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Collier Financial acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at approximately $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total value of $732,204.60. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. This trade represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts recently commented on COST shares. Mizuho increased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,065.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 16th. The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,171.00 to $1,088.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, March 6th. BTIG Research reissued a "buy" rating and set a $1,115.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Telsey Advisory Group increased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Finally, Gordon Haskett increased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Twenty-two 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. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,047.27.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco opened a long-awaited warehouse in New Braunfels, Texas, adding to its store base and reinforcing investor confidence in continued unit growth and market expansion. Long-awaited Costco Wholesale now open in New Braunfels
• Positive Sentiment: Another report confirmed the New Braunfels store is now open for business, underscoring Costco’s ongoing rollout of new locations that can support membership and revenue growth. Costco Wholesale now open for business in New Braunfels
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market commentary continue to favor Costco’s membership-driven model, saying it benefits from resilient grocery demand and supports steady growth even in a volatile retail backdrop. WMT or COST: Which Retail Giant Looks More Attractive Now?
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s purchase of a 55-acre property in Florida suggests the company is still investing in significant long-term store growth, which investors typically view as a sign of confidence in future demand. Costco Just Signed Off on a Massive Retail Real Estate Deal in Florida. Here's What Investors Need to Know About Costco's Store Growth Goals.
• Neutral Sentiment: Articles debating whether Costco is still a good buy after its multi-year rally mostly reinforce that the stock remains a quality business but is expensive, making the reaction more about valuation than any new fundamental change. Is It Too Late To Consider Costco Wholesale (COST) After Its Strong Multi Year Rally
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage on Costco’s food court chicken tender launch is generating consumer buzz, but the main takeaway is mixed, with some concerns about whether it replaces a favorite item rather than clearly boosting the investment outlook. Costco food court chicken tender launch sparks concerns over item replacement
• Negative Sentiment: Some recent commentary flags Costco’s premium valuation and argues the stock may be difficult to justify at current levels, which can temper enthusiasm despite strong fundamentals. Costco: Strong Fundamentals Meet Growth Premium - A Hold Entering FQ3'26
• Negative Sentiment: Another Seeking Alpha piece argues there is a reason to sell Costco beyond valuation, adding to the cautious tone around the stock’s elevated price level. Costco: Another Reason To Sell (Besides The Valuation)

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

COST opened at $1,048.95 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,067.08. The stock has a market cap of $465.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 54.55, a PEG ratio of 5.13 and a beta of 0.92. The business has a 50 day moving average of $1,000.90 and a 200-day moving average of $955.06. 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 released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The company had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $68.96 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $4.02 earnings per share. The business's revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st were given a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is 30.58%.

Costco Wholesale 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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