Lbp Am Sa Buys 42,034 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Lbp Am Sa boosted its stake in Costco by 292.4%, acquiring 42,034 shares to hold 56,408 shares worth about $48.64 million at the end of the quarter.
• Costco's board approved a 13% dividend increase to $1.47 quarterly (annualized $5.88), payable May 15 with an ex-dividend/record timetable in early May; the new yield is about 0.6% and the payout ratio ~27%.
• Sell-side sentiment is mostly positive with several price-target raises (BMO to $1,315 and others), supported by strong March sales and international growth, although analysts warn Costco's premium valuation could limit near-term upside.

Lbp Am Sa boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 292.4% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 56,408 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 42,034 shares during the period. Lbp Am Sa's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $48,643,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Hurley Capital LLC lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the third 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. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at $34,000. Collier Financial purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at $35,000. AXS Investments LLC purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at $36,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at $36,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 9th. The stock was 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 owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Susan L. Decker sold 458 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $955.00, for a total value of $437,390.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 8,532 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $8,148,060. This represents a 5.09% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold a total of 2,038 shares of company stock valued at $2,007,916 in the last quarter. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Board approved a 13% increase in the quarterly cash dividend (from $1.30 to $1.47 per share; annualized $5.88), payable May 15 — a shareholder-friendly move that supports income investors and signals confidence in cash flow. GlobeNewswire: Dividend Announcement
• Positive Sentiment: Research houses (Telsey Advisory Group and Wells Fargo) raised price targets and reiterated positive ratings, citing steady execution — analyst upgrades and higher targets often lift sentiment and buying interest. Yahoo Finance: Telsey & Wells Fargo Raise Targets
• Positive Sentiment: Recent retail data show strong March sales and comp-store strength (including digital growth), reinforcing the view that Costco’s membership model continues to drive traffic and sales momentum. Zacks: Strong March Retail Sales
• Positive Sentiment: International expansion, especially strong performance in Japan (now a top market), highlights recurring membership growth and a path for overseas store openings to add incremental revenue. Yahoo Finance: Japan Growth
• Neutral Sentiment: Positive brand coverage (iconic U.S. positioning, $1.50 hot dog lore) reinforces customer loyalty and marketing moat but has limited direct near-term impact on earnings. USA Today: Iconic Brand Story
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary suggesting Costco could be considered for the Dow adds prestige and occasional headline interest, but index inclusion is speculative and not an immediate earnings driver. 247WallSt: Dow Inclusion Discussion
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple pieces note Costco’s premium valuation (high P/E and compressed yield versus peers) and recent pullback, warning that rich multiples may limit near-term upside despite operational strength. That valuation concern is a key counterweight for growth-oriented buyers. Yahoo Finance: Valuation / Reassessment

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

COST opened at $984.75 on Thursday. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $995.81 and a 200-day moving average price of $943.83. 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 market cap of $436.88 billion, a PE ratio of 51.21, a P/E/G ratio of 4.80 and a beta of 0.99. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year 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 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.Costco Wholesale's quarterly revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $4.02 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st will be given a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is presently 27.04%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have commented on COST. BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Weiss Ratings raised Costco Wholesale from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 17th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on 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. Raymond James Financial raised their price objective on 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, Evercore set a $1,100.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, March 2nd. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,043.13.

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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