Hosking Partners LLP Has $57.88 Million Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Hosking Partners LLP trimmed its Costco stake by 6% in the fourth quarter, leaving it with 67,118 shares worth about $57.88 million. Costco remains the firm’s 16th-largest holding and about 2% of its portfolio.
• Costco’s latest results were strong: April net sales rose 13%, comparable sales stayed solid, and the company beat quarterly earnings and revenue estimates in March. Analysts continue to view the stock favorably, with a consensus Moderate Buy rating and an average target price near $1,046.
• The company also raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share from $1.30, boosting the annualized payout to $5.88. Meanwhile, insider activity showed EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares, and the stock has been trading near its 52-week high.

Hosking Partners LLP cut its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 6.0% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 67,118 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 4,273 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale accounts for approximately 2.0% of Hosking Partners LLP's investment portfolio, making the stock its 16th biggest holding. Hosking Partners LLP's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $57,879,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in COST. Hurley Capital LLC grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 18 shares during the period. Joseph Group Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at about $34,000. Collier Financial acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at about $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at about $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred 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 transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: April net sales rose 13% and comparable sales remained strong, signaling resilient demand and solid momentum for Costco’s core business. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports April Sales Results
• Positive Sentiment: Bank of America reiterated a Buy rating after the sales update, pointing to Costco’s steady comparable sales trend despite macro uncertainty. Costco April sales top expectations despite Easter shift, macroeconomic uncertainty
• Positive Sentiment: Deutsche Bank raised its price target and kept a Buy rating, adding to bullish sentiment around the stock. Deutsche Bank adjusts Costco Wholesale PT
• Positive Sentiment: Market chatter around a possible special dividend later this year may be attracting income-focused investors to COST. Is Costco Preparing Another Special Dividend This Year?
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco is also in the news for store expansion plans in California and Florida, which is constructive long term but not an immediate stock catalyst. Costco plots major California expansion as it announces new store openings
• Neutral Sentiment: Several lifestyle and product roundups highlight Costco’s strong brand and value perception, but these are unlikely to move the stock much on their own.
• Negative Sentiment: A lawsuit over Costco’s tariff-refund pricing strategy could create legal and margin uncertainty, though the longer-term financial impact is still unclear. Costco’s Going to Court Because It Wants to Give You Tariff Refunds

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have recently commented on the company. Citigroup restated a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $1,050.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. DA Davidson reiterated a "neutral" rating and set a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, April 10th. UBS Group set a $1,175.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Gordon Haskett lifted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a research note 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 given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,046.03.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ:COST opened at $1,008.79 on Monday. 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 stock has a market capitalization of $447.55 billion, a PE ratio of 52.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.97 and a beta of 0.92. The firm's 50 day moving average is $998.03 and its 200 day moving average is $951.50. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,067.08.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $69.60 billion for 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%. Costco Wholesale's revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $4.02 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.32 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

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

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.

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