Odyssey Capital Advisors Inc. Takes Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Odyssey Capital Advisors initiated a new position in Costco during the fourth quarter, buying 1,366 shares valued at about $1.18 million.
• Institutional interest in Costco remains strong, with hedge funds and other investors continuing to add to positions; institutions now own 68.48% of the company.
• Wall Street is broadly positive on Costco, with 22 Buy ratings and a consensus Moderate Buy rating, while the average price target sits at $1,047.27.

Odyssey Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor acquired 1,366 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $1,178,000.

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

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have commented on the stock. Gordon Haskett boosted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. UBS Group set a $1,175.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a "buy" rating and set a $1,050.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Rothschild & Co Redburn boosted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Finally, Citigroup reaffirmed a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Twenty-two 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's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,047.27.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco opened a long-awaited warehouse in New Braunfels, Texas, adding to its store base and reinforcing investor confidence in continued unit growth and market expansion. Long-awaited Costco Wholesale now open in New Braunfels
• Positive Sentiment: Another report confirmed the New Braunfels store is now open for business, underscoring Costco’s ongoing rollout of new locations that can support membership and revenue growth. Costco Wholesale now open for business in New Braunfels
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market commentary continue to favor Costco’s membership-driven model, saying it benefits from resilient grocery demand and supports steady growth even in a volatile retail backdrop. WMT or COST: Which Retail Giant Looks More Attractive Now?
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s purchase of a 55-acre property in Florida suggests the company is still investing in significant long-term store growth, which investors typically view as a sign of confidence in future demand. Costco Just Signed Off on a Massive Retail Real Estate Deal in Florida. Here's What Investors Need to Know About Costco's Store Growth Goals.
• Neutral Sentiment: Articles debating whether Costco is still a good buy after its multi-year rally mostly reinforce that the stock remains a quality business but is expensive, making the reaction more about valuation than any new fundamental change. Is It Too Late To Consider Costco Wholesale (COST) After Its Strong Multi Year Rally
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage on Costco’s food court chicken tender launch is generating consumer buzz, but the main takeaway is mixed, with some concerns about whether it replaces a favorite item rather than clearly boosting the investment outlook. Costco food court chicken tender launch sparks concerns over item replacement
• Negative Sentiment: Some recent commentary flags Costco’s premium valuation and argues the stock may be difficult to justify at current levels, which can temper enthusiasm despite strong fundamentals. Costco: Strong Fundamentals Meet Growth Premium - A Hold Entering FQ3'26
• Negative Sentiment: Another Seeking Alpha piece argues there is a reason to sell Costco beyond valuation, adding to the cautious tone around the stock’s elevated price level. Costco: Another Reason To Sell (Besides The Valuation)

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ COST opened at $1,048.95 on Monday. The firm's fifty day moving average price is $1,000.90 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $955.24. The stock has a market cap of $465.37 billion, a PE ratio of 54.55, a PEG ratio of 5.16 and a beta of 0.92. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,067.08. 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 (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The company's revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $4.02 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts expect 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 was paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st were issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. 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. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 30.58%.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction on 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 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 sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

About Costco Wholesale

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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