ING Groep NV Has $45.46 Million Stock Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• ING Groep NV cut its Costco stake by 43.7% in the fourth quarter, selling 40,846 shares and leaving it with 52,718 shares worth about $45.46 million.
• Costco’s latest quarterly results were mixed: EPS of $4.93 slightly missed estimates, while revenue of $70.53 billion came in ahead of expectations. The company also raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share from $1.30.
• Wall Street remains broadly positive on Costco, with multiple analysts raising price targets and a consensus rating of Moderate Buy. At the same time, some commentary continues to flag the stock’s premium valuation as a concern.

ING Groep NV lessened its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 43.7% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 52,718 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 40,846 shares during the period. ING Groep NV's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $45,461,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth about $5,195,415,000. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1,586.8% during the 4th quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 1,137,436 shares of the retailer's stock worth $980,857,000 after purchasing an additional 1,070,005 shares in the last quarter. Amundi increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 45.0% during the 3rd quarter. Amundi now owns 3,176,606 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,893,697,000 after purchasing an additional 986,182 shares in the last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 182.4% during the 4th quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 536,059 shares of the retailer's stock worth $462,265,000 after purchasing an additional 346,208 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Voloridge Investment Management LLC increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 112.2% during the 3rd quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC now owns 477,425 shares of the retailer's stock worth $441,919,000 after purchasing an additional 252,453 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 0.0%

Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $971.87 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,096.50. The company's 50-day moving average price is $1,006.71 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $963.99. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The firm has a market cap of $431.00 billion, a P/E ratio of 48.89, a P/E/G ratio of 4.71 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 EPS 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 company had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $4.28 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st were issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is currently 29.58%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

COST has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Oppenheimer increased their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 19th. Bank of America increased their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Evercore set a $1,100.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, March 2nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,110.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Friday, April 17th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group increased their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Twenty-two research 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. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,060.41.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco posted another strong month, with May net sales up 14.5% year over year to $24.01 billion and comparable sales still running at a healthy pace, reinforcing the view that traffic and spending trends remain solid. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports May Sales Results
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts continued to point to Costco’s defensive fundamentals, strong U.S. comparable sales, fuel-driven traffic, and growing digital business as reasons for optimism on the stock. Costco Stock (COST) Keeps Wall Street Split despite Accelerating Sales
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s ability to hold up during the broader market sell-off underscored its reputation as a defensive retailer, which may have helped support investor interest. Why Costco Stock Held Steady During Friday's Market Sell-Off
• Neutral Sentiment: Several articles framed Costco as a high-quality long-term compounder, but also emphasized that its premium valuation leaves less room for error if growth slows. Costco stock price shocks market despite major blowout quarter
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco’s valuation remains a debate point on Wall Street, with some analysts maintaining Buy ratings and high price targets while others argue the stock already reflects much of the good news. Costco: Robust Comps and Reaccelerating Digital Sales Support Buy Rating, Price Target Reaffirmed at $1275
• Negative Sentiment: One recent note argued that Costco’s strong quarter was not enough to offset valuation worries, suggesting investors may be hesitant to pay up after the recent sales-driven rally. Costco's Strong Quarter Still Leaves Investors with a Valuation Problem

Costco Wholesale 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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