&PARTNERS Has $97.35 Million Stock Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• &PARTNERS increased its Costco stake by 13.8% in the fourth quarter, ending with 113,002 shares valued at about $97.35 million.
• Institutional interest in Costco remains strong, with several large hedge funds and asset managers adding shares; overall, 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutions and hedge funds.
• Costco continues to draw bullish attention on operating strength and growth prospects, supported by strong traffic, comparable sales, gasoline and e-commerce gains, while analysts maintain a Moderate Buy consensus and an average price target of $1,060.41.

&PARTNERS grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 13.8% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 113,002 shares of the retailer's stock after buying an additional 13,686 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale accounts for about 0.5% of &PARTNERS's holdings, making the stock its 29th biggest position. &PARTNERS's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $97,353,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in COST. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at about $5,195,415,000. Cardano Risk Management B.V. boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 907.1% during the fourth quarter. Cardano Risk Management B.V. now owns 1,785,080 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,539,346,000 after purchasing an additional 1,607,833 shares during the last quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1,586.8% during the fourth quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 1,137,436 shares of the retailer's stock worth $980,857,000 after purchasing an additional 1,070,005 shares during the last quarter. Amundi boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 45.0% during the third quarter. Amundi now owns 3,176,606 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,893,697,000 after purchasing an additional 986,182 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Vestor Capital LLC boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 20,936.6% during the fourth quarter. Vestor Capital LLC now owns 970,840 shares of the retailer's stock worth $837,194,000 after purchasing an additional 966,225 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks highlighted Costco’s growing traffic, stronger comparable sales, and gas-driven member engagement, reinforcing that its value proposition is still attracting shoppers. Costco's Growing Traffic Shows the Power of Its Value Strategy
• Positive Sentiment: Another Zacks note said Costco screens well for earnings acceleration, pointing to rising EPS growth trends that can support further upside in the shares. Costco & 2 Earnings Acceleration Stocks to Watch for Solid Upside
• Positive Sentiment: Yahoo Finance and other commentary emphasized Costco’s record gasoline sales, e-commerce growth, wellness offerings, and ongoing store expansion, all of which reinforce the company’s long-term growth story. Costco Leans On Gasoline, E Commerce And Wellness To Deepen Member Value
• Positive Sentiment: Several articles framed Costco as a top long-term growth name and suggested the stock still has room to run if membership strength and comparable sales remain solid. Why Costco (COST) is a Top Growth Stock for the Long-Term
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco remains a heavily watched stock, with investor attention amplified by bullish price-target speculation and debate over whether the company can break above $1,100 over time. Can Costco Stock Break $1,100 by 2027?
• Negative Sentiment: Despite the constructive outlook, one market note said Costco was among retailers that fell even as lower oil prices could have helped consumers, showing the stock can still be pressured by broader rotation or lack of immediate catalyst. It Wasn’t a Strait of Hormuz Relief Rally, After All

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ COST opened at $986.68 on Wednesday. The company's 50 day moving average is $1,004.06 and its 200-day moving average is $968.46. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,096.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The firm has a market cap of $437.57 billion, a P/E ratio of 49.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.74 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.During the same period last year, the company posted $4.28 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st were issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is currently 29.58%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

COST has been the topic of several analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group restated a "buy" rating and set a $1,050.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Roth Mkm boosted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the stock a "sell" rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Oppenheimer lifted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 19th. Finally, HC Wainwright reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,060.41.

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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