Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. Buys Shares of 56,438 Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. opened a new position in Costco, buying 56,438 shares in the fourth quarter valued at about $48.7 million.
• Institutional ownership in Costco remains heavy, with 68.48% of shares held by institutions and hedge funds. Several other investors also increased their stakes during the period.
• Analysts remain broadly positive on Costco, with 21 Buy ratings and a consensus Moderate Buy rating. The average price target is $1,056.32, while some firms have recently raised targets as high as $1,160.

Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm bought 56,438 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $48,687,000.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Brighton Jones LLC raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 12.3% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 19,825 shares of the retailer's stock worth $18,165,000 after buying an additional 2,172 shares during the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 13.1% in the fourth quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,123 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,029,000 after buying an additional 130 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 4.5% in the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 3,853 shares of the retailer's stock worth $3,814,000 after buying an additional 165 shares during the last quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% in the second quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. now owns 2,110 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,089,000 after buying an additional 23 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Schnieders Capital Management LLC. raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.2% in the second quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 8,502 shares of the retailer's stock worth $8,416,000 after buying an additional 182 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

COST has been the subject of several recent research reports. Evercore set a $1,100.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, March 2nd. TD Cowen reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, March 6th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a "buy" rating and set a $1,050.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Oppenheimer raised their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, May 19th. Finally, Citigroup reissued a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, February 20th. Twenty-one 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 stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,056.32.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 3.9%

COST stock opened at $956.32 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $424.27 billion, a PE ratio of 49.73, a P/E/G ratio of 4.71 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 1.06. The firm's fifty day moving average is $1,007.80 and its 200 day moving average is $962.48. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.95 by ($0.02). The firm had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $70.13 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $4.28 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.36 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st were given a dividend of $1.47 per share. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 30.58%.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco posted strong third-quarter results, with revenue of $70.53 billion topping estimates and same-store sales rising 9.8%, showing that members are still spending on essentials and value-focused purchases.
• Positive Sentiment: Gasoline sales were a standout, with Costco’s gas stations setting all-time or record volume levels as drivers sought lower-priced fuel amid elevated energy costs. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Digital growth and membership strength continued to support results, helping offset margin pressure and reinforcing Costco’s value-driven model.
• Positive Sentiment: Several Wall Street firms raised price targets or reiterated bullish ratings, including Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, Bernstein, BTIG, and Morgan Stanley, signaling confidence in Costco’s long-term fundamentals.
• Neutral Sentiment: DA Davidson reaffirmed a neutral rating with a $1,000 target, suggesting modest upside but not a strong catalyst for a re-rating.
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco said it will return U.S. tariff refunds to members “in some form,” which may help customer loyalty but does not yet provide a clear financial boost.
• Negative Sentiment: EPS of $4.93 missed consensus by a small margin, and investors appear focused on the earnings shortfall more than the sales beat.
• Negative Sentiment: Margin pressure from higher costs and a premium valuation have prompted some traders to sell after the report, limiting enthusiasm despite the strong top-line performance.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at approximately $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 Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

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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