Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. Has $153.90 Million Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Harel Insurance Investments sharply increased its stake in Costco by 2,432% in the first quarter, ending with 154,450 shares worth about $153.9 million.
• Institutional ownership remains very high, with hedge funds and other large investors holding 68.48% of Costco’s stock, while several firms recently added to their positions.
• Analysts remain broadly constructive on Costco: the stock carries a Moderate Buy consensus rating, even though the latest quarter slightly missed EPS estimates while revenue came in above forecasts.

Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 2,432.0% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 154,450 shares of the retailer's stock after buying an additional 148,350 shares during the quarter. Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd.'s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $153,899,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.4% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 43,620,717 shares of the retailer's stock worth $37,615,889,000 after acquiring an additional 165,349 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 10,388,519 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $8,919,573,000 after purchasing an additional 26,690 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.1% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 9,523,423 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $8,212,433,000 after purchasing an additional 107,775 shares in the last quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 99,278.0% in the 1st quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. now owns 6,726,899 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $672,690,000 after purchasing an additional 6,720,130 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Corient Private Wealth LLC raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 838.9% in the 4th quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 6,125,405 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $5,282,182,000 after purchasing an additional 5,472,968 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have recently commented on COST shares. Sanford C. Bernstein increased their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,192.00 to $1,194.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Guggenheim reaffirmed a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. Roth Capital upped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the stock a "sell" rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. UBS Group increased their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 20th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada began coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday. They set a "sector perform" rating and a $1,000.00 price objective on the stock. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,059.07.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 0.5%

NASDAQ:COST opened at $921.75 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $408.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.37, a P/E/G ratio of 4.49 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.07. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $980.00 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $976.98. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.94 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. During the same period last year, the business posted $4.28 earnings per share. On average, analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 7th. Investors of record on Friday, July 24th will be issued a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 29.58%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total value of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at $4,575,653.55. This trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: William Blair highlighted Costco as one of the consumer names best positioned to handle inflation and uneven spending, reinforcing the company’s defensive appeal in a cautious consumer environment. Casey’s, Costco, and Other Consumer Stocks for Uncertain Times
• Positive Sentiment: RBC initiated coverage with a $1,000 price target and a “sector perform” rating, calling Costco one of retail’s best stories and suggesting meaningful upside from current levels. Costco Wholesale is now covered by Royal Bank Of Canada
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple articles noted that Costco continues to win market share thanks to its unique membership-and-volume model, while also benefiting from resilient sales and digital growth. Costco Wholesale to Sustain Market Share Gains on 'Unique' Model, RBC Capital Markets Says
• Neutral Sentiment: Jim Cramer reiterated his support for Costco, but this was more of a sentiment boost than a fresh business catalyst. Jim Cramer Unsurprisingly Sticks With Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST)
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco’s first standalone gas station and broader brand/media coverage may help reinforce the company’s low-price image, but the direct stock impact is likely limited. Costco opens first standalone gas station
• Negative Sentiment: Costco is facing scrutiny over a proposed class-action lawsuit alleging its protein powder contained undisclosed heavy metals, which could pressure investor sentiment around product quality and trust. Costco (COST) Faces Protein Powder Heavy Metals Lawsuit And A Test Of Trust
• Negative Sentiment: Some coverage emphasized that Costco’s premium valuation remains a concern, especially as June sales showed strong demand but slower comparable sales growth. Are Costco's June Sales Enough to Defend Its Rich Valuation?

About Costco Wholesale

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.