Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund Has $55.07 Million Stock Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund trimmed its Costco stake by 3.0% in the first quarter, but still held 55,270 shares valued at about $55.07 million, making Costco its 15th-largest holding.
• Institutional ownership remains very high, with 68.48% of Costco shares held by institutions and hedge funds. Several other investors also recently increased their positions in the stock.
• Costco reported mixed quarterly results and announced a dividend: EPS of $4.93 slightly missed expectations, while revenue topped forecasts at $70.53 billion. The company also declared a $1.47 quarterly dividend, payable August 7, and analysts currently rate the stock a “Moderate Buy.”

Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund lessened its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 3.0% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 55,270 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 1,720 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale comprises 0.7% of Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund's investment portfolio, making the stock its 15th biggest holding. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $55,073,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in COST. World Investment Advisors boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 8.4% during the fourth quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 20,081 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $15,835,000 after buying an additional 1,560 shares during the last quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 24.5% in 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 during the last quarter. Curtis Advisory Group LLC raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 56.7% in the 4th 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 last quarter. Perryman Financial Advisory Inc. AD bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at $9,300,000. Finally, Oak Ridge Investments LLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 7.3% during the 4th quarter. Oak Ridge Investments LLC now owns 22,117 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $19,072,000 after acquiring an additional 1,496 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insiders Place Their Bets

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

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 0.6%

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $916.54 on Thursday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,096.50. The firm has a market cap of $406.47 billion, a PE ratio of 46.10, a P/E/G ratio of 4.46 and a beta of 0.88. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $978.42 and a 200-day moving average price of $977.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.61.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last issued 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). The company had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.During the same period last year, the firm posted $4.28 earnings per share. Equities research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

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

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s launch of Borealis Foods’ Chef Woo high-protein noodles is drawing strong early member demand, highlighting Costco’s ability to quickly scale trending, health-oriented products and support traffic in its warehouses. Borealis Foods Expands Access to Protein-Rich Chef Woo Noodles Through Costco
• Positive Sentiment: Another report says Costco will open seven new warehouse locations in August, reinforcing the company’s steady expansion strategy and long-term membership growth potential. Costco announces 7 new warehouse locations to open in August
• Positive Sentiment: Royal Bank of Canada initiated coverage with a $1,000 price target, signaling Wall Street still sees upside from current levels despite recent weakness. Costco Wholesale is now covered by Royal Bank Of Canada
• Neutral Sentiment: Several commentary pieces focused on Costco’s dividend, valuation, and reputation as a defensive retailer; these are supportive of the investment case, but they do not appear to be immediate stock-moving catalysts. Here's How Many Shares of Costco Stock You'd Need for $1,000 in Yearly Dividends
• Neutral Sentiment: Other articles praised Costco’s resilience in uncertain consumer conditions and its success in international markets, but these were mainly background/analyst commentary rather than new fundamental developments. Casey’s, Costco, and Other Consumer Stocks for Uncertain Times
• Negative Sentiment: Some coverage noted Costco’s stock has been weak recently and that investors are questioning whether the dip is a buying opportunity, which can keep sentiment cautious in the near term. Costco Stock: Buy the Dip?

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the stock. UBS Group lifted 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. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Truist Financial boosted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. BTIG Research reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $1,125.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Finally, Citigroup initiated coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, June 18th. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $1,020.00 price objective for the company. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,059.07.

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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