Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp Raises Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp increased its stake in Costco by 2.8%, buying 6,370 shares to hold 234,701 shares worth about $202.4 million (≈0.05% of the company) at quarter end.
• Costco beat quarterly estimates with $4.58 EPS versus $4.55 expected and revenue of $69.6 billion (+9.2% YoY), and the company raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 (annualized $5.88).
• Analysts remain largely positive—several firms lifted price targets to about $1,100 and the consensus rating is a Moderate Buy with an average target of $1,045.97, while institutional investors own roughly 68.5% of the stock.

Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 2.8% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 234,701 shares of the retailer's stock after buying an additional 6,370 shares during the period. Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp owned about 0.05% of Costco Wholesale worth $202,392,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Hurley Capital LLC raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer's stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $34,000. Collier Financial acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $35,000. AXS Investments LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $36,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Membership renewal rates remain near record highs, which supports recurring revenue, cash flow and the margin profile that underpins Costco’s rich valuation. Targeted outreach and auto‑renewal programs could further stabilize retention. Costco's Renewal Rates Hold Strong: Can Digital Members Catch Up?
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst previews expect Costco’s upcoming quarter to show low‑double‑digit EPS growth, reinforcing near‑term earnings momentum and supporting consensus estimates ahead of the print. Here's What to Expect From Costco Wholesale’s Next Earnings Report
• Neutral Sentiment: Heightened retail and investor attention: Zacks notes COST is a "trending" stock, which can boost volume and volatility but doesn't change fundamentals. Expect bigger intraday swings while momentum is concentrated. Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) Is a Trending Stock: Facts to Know Before Betting on It
• Neutral Sentiment: Some customer-service and product FAQs (e.g., tire returns) circulated broadly; these are largely operational/consumer‑facing stories with limited impact on corporate profitability. Does Costco accept returns on tires?
• Negative Sentiment: Competitive pressure: BJ’s expanded aggressively into Texas and the warehouse‑club segment is getting more competitive. Increased competition could pressure membership growth, traffic or pricing in certain markets over time. BJ’s takes on Costco with major expansion
• Negative Sentiment: Digital-member renewal rates lag in some cohorts; if digital sign‑ups consistently underperform, membership revenue growth could slow unless outreach/auto‑renewal efforts fully close the gap. Costco's Renewal Rates Hold Strong: Can Digital Members Catch Up?

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $998.01 on Tuesday. The business's fifty day moving average price is $996.71 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $948.66. The stock has a market cap of $442.77 billion, a PE ratio of 51.90, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.98 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 1.06. 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 announced its earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates 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 analysts' expectations of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $4.02 EPS. Costco Wholesale's quarterly revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

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

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the stock in a transaction 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 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 document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on COST shares. Oppenheimer upped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Raymond James Financial upped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. TD Cowen restated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, March 6th. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their price target 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. Finally, DA Davidson restated a "neutral" rating and issued a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, April 10th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,045.97.

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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