Groupama Asset Managment Increases Stock Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Groupama Asset Management increased its Costco stake by 11.7% in the first quarter, holding 19,627 shares valued at approximately $19.6 million. Institutional investors collectively own 68.48% of the stock.
• Costco reported quarterly revenue of $70.53 billion, exceeding estimates, while earnings per share of $4.93 narrowly missed consensus. Shares were recently trading near $951.89, with a market capitalization of about $422 billion.
• The company declared a quarterly dividend of $1.47, equivalent to $5.88 annually and a 0.6% yield. Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target of $1,059.07.

Groupama Asset Managment boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 11.7% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 19,627 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 2,060 shares during the period. Groupama Asset Managment's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $19,557,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Palisade Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.4% in the 4th quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC now owns 702 shares of the retailer's stock worth $605,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares during the period. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. now owns 3,194 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $2,754,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the period. Wealth Effects LLC increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.2% during the first quarter. Wealth Effects LLC now owns 874 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $871,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the period. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.8% during the first quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. now owns 551 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $549,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the period. Finally, First National Bank of Hutchinson raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.9% in the first quarter. First National Bank of Hutchinson now owns 1,098 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,094,000 after buying an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 0.2%

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $951.89 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,096.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.61. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $955.42 and a 200 day moving average of $982.10. The stock has a market cap of $422.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.88, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.61 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.The business had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $4.28 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 24th will be given a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 24th. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is currently 29.58%.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and financial publications continue to highlight Costco’s strong momentum, durable membership model, consistent profit growth and long-term shareholder returns. One analysis suggests the retailer could eventually pursue trillion-dollar-company status if it sustains warehouse expansion, membership growth and operating execution. Why Costco Is a Strong Momentum Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s reported experiment with expanding or changing gasoline sales could create another source of traffic, member engagement and revenue over time, although the financial impact remains uncertain. Costco Gasoline Sales Experiment
• Positive Sentiment: New product partnerships and continued customer interest—including expanded beverage distribution and popular food offerings—reinforce Costco’s ability to attract shoppers and support sales, though these developments are not expected to materially change near-term earnings. Coco5 Costco Partnership

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total value of $847,343.25. Following the sale, the director owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at $4,575,653.55. This represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have commented on COST. Telsey Advisory Group raised their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Bank of America upped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Citigroup began coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $1,020.00 target price for the company. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Finally, HC Wainwright restated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,059.07.

Costco Wholesale Company 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.

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.