Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. Buys 2,998 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Meiji Yasuda Asset Management increased its Costco stake by 63.9% in the fourth quarter, buying 2,998 more shares and bringing its total holding to 7,689 shares worth about $6.63 million.
• Costco posted strong quarterly results, with EPS of $4.58 beating estimates and revenue of $69.6 billion, up 9.2% year over year.
• The company recently raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share, while analysts remain broadly positive with a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of about $1,052.60.

Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 63.9% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 7,689 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 2,998 shares during the period. Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd.'s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $6,631,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 0.4% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 43,620,717 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $37,615,889,000 after acquiring an additional 165,349 shares during the last quarter. Amundi boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 45.0% in the third quarter. Amundi now owns 3,176,606 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $2,893,697,000 after acquiring an additional 986,182 shares during the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.1% in the third quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 3,145,241 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $2,911,331,000 after acquiring an additional 34,826 shares during the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 8.5% in the third quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 1,619,703 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,499,246,000 after acquiring an additional 127,495 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Principal Financial Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 0.7% in the third quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 1,210,837 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,120,787,000 after acquiring an additional 8,259 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of COST opened at $1,050.45 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,096.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 1.06. The business's 50 day moving average price is $1,007.14 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $959.65. The firm has a market cap of $466.04 billion, a PE ratio of 54.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.28 and a beta of 0.92.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $68.96 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $4.02 earnings per share. The company's revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.33 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced 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. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is currently 30.58%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 9th. The stock was 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 of the company's stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts remain constructive on Costco heading into its Q3 update, with UBS raising its price target and reiterating a buy rating, citing expectations for another solid quarter and continued membership-driven resilience.
• Positive Sentiment: Several reports highlighted Costco’s strong 2026 run, including fresh all-time highs, continued expansion, and investor interest in the stock as a high-quality defensive retailer with steady renewal trends.
• Neutral Sentiment: Upcoming holiday trading hours and broader market comments are not company-specific, but they keep Costco in a generally supportive market backdrop as the Nasdaq and S&P 500 remain near record levels. Stock Market To Close For Memorial Day. Here Are Wall Street's Holiday Hours.
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco remains a focal point for traders ahead of earnings, with preview pieces suggesting expectations are already elevated and that the company may need only steady results, not a blowout, to support the stock. Costco Q3 Earnings Preview: Great Business With Limited Upside
• Negative Sentiment: Costco is falling largely in sympathy with Walmart after Walmart’s earnings and guidance disappointed investors, raising concerns that consumer spending is more pressured than expected and dragging on other big-box retailers. Costco Stock Dips After Walmart's Q1 Report: What's Going On?
• Negative Sentiment: Broader articles also point to Costco’s rich valuation and high expectations ahead of earnings, which could limit upside if the company merely meets forecasts rather than significantly beats them.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

COST has been the topic of several analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,171.00 to $1,088.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, March 6th. Telsey Advisory Group upped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,110.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Friday, April 17th. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised Costco Wholesale from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 17th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,052.60.

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.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding COST? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report).

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.