iA Global Asset Management Inc. Increases Stock Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• iA Global Asset Management Inc. boosted its Costco stake by 28.3% in the first quarter, buying 15,699 additional shares and bringing its total to 71,228 shares worth about $71 million.
• Institutional ownership in Costco remains high at 68.48%, and several other funds also increased their positions during recent quarters.
• Analysts remain broadly positive on Costco, with a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $1,061.45, even after the stock recently traded down 1.2% and the company slightly missed EPS expectations in its latest earnings report.

iA Global Asset Management Inc. increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 28.3% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 71,228 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 15,699 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale makes up about 1.0% of iA Global Asset Management Inc.'s holdings, making the stock its 24th biggest position. iA Global Asset Management Inc.'s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $70,974,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. FORA Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at $2,781,000. World Investment Advisors boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 8.4% in the 4th quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 20,081 shares of the retailer's stock worth $15,835,000 after purchasing an additional 1,560 shares during the period. Teacher Retirement System of Texas grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 24.5% during the 4th quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 140,429 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $121,098,000 after buying an additional 27,625 shares in the last quarter. Curtis Advisory Group LLC increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 56.7% during the fourth quarter. Curtis Advisory Group LLC now owns 4,535 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $3,911,000 after buying an additional 1,641 shares during the period. Finally, Perryman Financial Advisory Inc. AD bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at about $9,300,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Guggenheim reiterated a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Daiwa Securities Group raised their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 10th. Raymond James Financial boosted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,061.45.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 1.2%

Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $924.67 on Thursday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,096.50. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $992.50 and a 200 day moving average of $972.25. The firm has a market capitalization of $410.07 billion, a PE ratio of 46.51, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.53 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.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results 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 net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. The firm had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $4.28 EPS. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders 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. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is currently 29.58%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the business'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 completion of the sale, the director owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts see Costco’s large cash position, low debt, and steady membership-fee stream as advantages that could help it keep investing through retail headwinds and support future growth. Can Costco Outgrow Retail Headwinds on Balance Sheet Strength?
• Positive Sentiment: Commentary also highlighted stronger executive membership penetration, which can boost higher-margin fee income and improve Costco’s sales mix, with additional growth potential from China expansion. Costco's Executive Penetration Could Unlock More Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Erste Group Bank raised its FY2027 earnings estimate for Costco, signaling continued confidence in the company’s earnings power beyond the current fiscal year. Costco Wholesale Corporation NASDAQ: COST
• Positive Sentiment: Articles focused on Costco’s growing footprint, including new Texas warehouse openings, reinforcing the company’s steady unit expansion and brand strength with consumers. Costco cashes in on 2 new Texas warehouses opening this summer. Here's where
• Neutral Sentiment: Several recent consumer-focused articles and opinion pieces about Costco products and shopping habits are not likely to move the stock much on their own. 7 Costco finds that help you save on warm-weather essentials
• Neutral Sentiment: One recent bullish article argued Costco can generate long-term passive income and capital appreciation, but this is more a thesis piece than a new catalyst. Want $3,000 in Annual Passive Income? Invest $146,000 in Costco in July and Wait 10 Years.
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple recent write-ups warn that Costco’s valuation is expensive, with some analysts saying the stock’s strong multi-year run has left limited upside unless growth accelerates further. Costco (COST) Stock Looks Strong On Returns But Expensive On Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Bearish commentary also suggested Costco may have more downside if investors keep focusing on slowing growth versus its premium earnings multiple. Costco Stock: More Pain To Come

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.

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