MUFG Securities EMEA plc Has $34.53 Million Stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• MUFG Securities EMEA plc boosted its Costco stake by 371.7% in the fourth quarter, ending with 40,038 shares worth about $34.5 million.
• Costco continues to draw strong institutional and analyst support, with hedge funds and large investors holding 68.48% of the stock and many Wall Street firms maintaining Buy ratings or raising price targets.
• The company posted solid third-quarter revenue of $70.53 billion and same-store sales growth of 9.8%, but earnings of $4.93 per share slightly missed estimates, contributing to pressure on the stock despite a recent dividend increase to $1.47 per quarter.

MUFG Securities EMEA plc grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 371.7% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 40,038 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 31,550 shares during the period. MUFG Securities EMEA plc's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $34,526,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. FORA Capital LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter worth approximately $2,781,000. World Investment Advisors increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 8.4% in the fourth quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 20,081 shares of the retailer's stock worth $15,835,000 after buying an additional 1,560 shares during the last quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 24.5% in the fourth quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 140,429 shares of the retailer's stock worth $121,098,000 after buying an additional 27,625 shares during the last quarter. Curtis Advisory Group LLC increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 56.7% in the fourth quarter. Curtis Advisory Group LLC now owns 4,535 shares of the retailer's stock worth $3,911,000 after buying an additional 1,641 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mariner LLC grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.5% during the third quarter. Mariner LLC now owns 399,894 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $370,140,000 after purchasing an additional 5,937 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have commented on COST shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. BTIG Research reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $1,125.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday. TD Cowen reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, March 6th. Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, UBS Group increased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 20th. Twenty-one investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,056.32.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the 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 value of $732,204.60. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco posted strong third-quarter results, with revenue of $70.53 billion topping estimates and same-store sales rising 9.8%, showing that members are still spending on essentials and value-focused purchases.
• Positive Sentiment: Gasoline sales were a standout, with Costco’s gas stations setting all-time or record volume levels as drivers sought lower-priced fuel amid elevated energy costs. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Digital growth and membership strength continued to support results, helping offset margin pressure and reinforcing Costco’s value-driven model.
• Positive Sentiment: Several Wall Street firms raised price targets or reiterated bullish ratings, including Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, Bernstein, BTIG, and Morgan Stanley, signaling confidence in Costco’s long-term fundamentals.
• Neutral Sentiment: DA Davidson reaffirmed a neutral rating with a $1,000 target, suggesting modest upside but not a strong catalyst for a re-rating.
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco said it will return U.S. tariff refunds to members “in some form,” which may help customer loyalty but does not yet provide a clear financial boost.
• Negative Sentiment: EPS of $4.93 missed consensus by a small margin, and investors appear focused on the earnings shortfall more than the sales beat.
• Negative Sentiment: Margin pressure from higher costs and a premium valuation have prompted some traders to sell after the report, limiting enthusiasm despite the strong top-line performance.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 3.9%

COST opened at $956.32 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,096.50. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The stock has a market capitalization of $424.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 49.73, a P/E/G ratio of 4.71 and a beta of 0.92. The business has a 50 day moving average of $1,007.80 and a 200-day moving average of $962.48.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.95 by ($0.02). Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The business had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.13 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $4.28 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.36 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st were given a $1.47 dividend. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 30.58%.

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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