Kepler Cheuvreux Suisse SA Sells 42,433 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Kepler Cheuvreux Suisse SA sharply cut its Costco stake in the fourth quarter, selling 42,433 shares and reducing its position by 94.9% to 2,258 shares valued at about $1.95 million.
• Costco continues to draw mostly bullish analyst coverage, with recent ratings including Buy calls from Bank of America and TD Cowen; the stock currently carries a consensus "Moderate Buy" rating and a $1,046.03 target price.
• Operational momentum remains strong, as April net sales rose 13% and Costco recently beat quarterly earnings and revenue estimates. The company also increased its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share, up from $1.30.

Kepler Cheuvreux Suisse SA lessened its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 94.9% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 2,258 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 42,433 shares during the period. Kepler Cheuvreux Suisse SA's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $1,947,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of COST. Hurley Capital LLC raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer's stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at $34,000. Collier Financial bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at $36,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the business's 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 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 ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

COST has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Costco Wholesale from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 17th. Bank of America initiated coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, February 27th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $1,185.00 price target for the company. Roth Mkm reaffirmed a "sell" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued an "outperform" rating and set a $1,155.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Finally, TD Cowen reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Twenty-two equities 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 company. According to MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,046.03.

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

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ:COST opened at $1,008.79 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.59. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $998.03 and a 200-day moving average of $951.50. The company has a market cap of $447.55 billion, a PE ratio of 52.46, a PEG ratio of 4.97 and a beta of 0.92. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,067.08.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The business had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $68.96 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $4.02 earnings per share. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st will be issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is presently 30.58%.

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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