Generali Asset Management SPA SGR Decreases Stock Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Generali Asset Management cut its Costco stake by 15.5% in the fourth quarter, selling 3,907 shares and leaving it with 21,266 shares valued at about $18.34 million.
• Despite that trim, Costco continues to attract heavy institutional interest, with 68.48% of the stock owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
• Costco recently reported better-than-expected earnings and sales, and it also raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share from $1.30, underscoring continued financial strength.

Generali Asset Management SPA SGR trimmed its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 15.5% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 21,266 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 3,907 shares during the period. Generali Asset Management SPA SGR's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $18,339,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Pasadena Private Wealth LLC raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.8% during the third quarter. Pasadena Private Wealth LLC now owns 1,403 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,299,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Tandem Investment Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% during the third quarter. Tandem Investment Partners LLC now owns 990 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $916,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Optima Capital LLC raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.9% during the third quarter. Optima Capital LLC now owns 1,192 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,104,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Gratus Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.8% during the third quarter. Gratus Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,399 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,295,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cascade Investment Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.0% during the third quarter. Cascade Investment Group Inc. now owns 1,151 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,065,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: April sales beat expectations — Costco reported April net sales up ~13% year-over-year and positive comparable-store growth, a result analysts say shows resilient demand and helped lift the stock. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Gas prices provided a near-term revenue boost — commentary and coverage attribute part of April’s sales gain to higher gasoline prices, which lift fuel revenue and store traffic. This is being cited as a key reason for the stock’s uptick. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support remains intact — Deutsche Bank nudged its price target higher and kept a Buy rating; Bank of America reiterated Buy and a high price target after the April results, which can sustain investor confidence. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Longer-term growth narrative highlighted — bullish commentary and price‑target pieces point to membership and digital-sales momentum as catalysts that could support further upside over the next 12 months. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Operational/customer experience tweaks — Costco is rolling changes (self-checkout adjustments industry-wide, bakery improvements) that may modestly affect store throughput and satisfaction but are unlikely to move the stock materially on their own. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Marketing and in-store activity — initiatives like GEN Korean BBQ roadshows and new gas-station openings support foot traffic and product discovery, incremental positives for sales execution. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Competitive pressure — BJ’s Wholesale is expanding in North Texas, intensifying local competition versus Costco and Sam’s Club; investors should watch share dynamics in key markets. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Industry headwinds flagged — Moody’s and other coverage note a tougher retail backdrop and muted consumer demand in 2026, which could pressure comps if the macro trend weakens. Read More.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 1.6%

Shares of COST stock opened at $1,012.06 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 $449.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 52.63, a P/E/G ratio of 4.91 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $998.03 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $951.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The firm's revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $4.02 earnings per share. On average, research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.32 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st will be paid a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis 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 of this dividend is Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is currently 30.58%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on COST shares. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,171.00 to $1,088.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Friday, March 6th. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. UBS Group set a $1,175.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Evercore set a $1,100.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,046.03.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, March 9th. The shares were 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 represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

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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