Payden & Rygel Has $776,000 Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Payden & Rygel sharply reduced its Costco stake in the fourth quarter, cutting holdings by 92.2% and ending with 900 shares worth about $776,000.
• Wall Street remains broadly positive on Costco, with 22 analysts rating it a Buy, 11 Hold, and only one Sell; the consensus view is a Moderate Buy with an average target price of $1,047.27.
• Costco reported solid fundamentals and raised its dividend, posting quarterly EPS and revenue above expectations, lifting its dividend 13% to $1.47 per share, and recently hitting a new 52-week high near $1,080.

Payden & Rygel cut its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 92.2% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 900 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 10,700 shares during the period. Payden & Rygel's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $776,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Gambit Capital Management LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at $617,000. Verde Capital Management raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 15.6% during the fourth quarter. Verde Capital Management now owns 3,126 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,696,000 after acquiring an additional 423 shares during the last quarter. Aerodigm Wealth LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 5.4% during the fourth quarter. Aerodigm Wealth LLC now owns 1,236 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,066,000 after acquiring an additional 63 shares during the last quarter. WD Rutherford LLC lifted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.8% during the fourth quarter. WD Rutherford LLC now owns 5,904 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $5,091,000 after acquiring an additional 105 shares during the period. Finally, Entrust Financial LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at about $31,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts recently commented on COST shares. UBS Group set a $1,175.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, March 6th. TD Cowen reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, March 6th. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,171.00 to $1,088.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, March 6th. DA Davidson reissued a "neutral" rating and set a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, April 10th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on shares of 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. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,047.27.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total value of $732,204.60. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This trade represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of COST opened at $1,076.47 on Tuesday. The stock has a market cap of $477.58 billion, a P/E ratio of 55.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.16 and a beta of 0.92. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,079.83. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $1,002.78 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $956.31. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly 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. The company had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.Costco Wholesale's revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $4.02 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 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. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st were paid a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.5%. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is currently 30.58%.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco reported strong April sales, with net sales up 13.0% year over year, comparable sales rising 11.6%, and digital sales climbing 18.8%, reinforcing its reputation as a defensive retailer benefiting from value-focused consumer spending. Costco's April Sales Reinforce Its Case as the Ultimate Defensive Stock
• Positive Sentiment: The company boosted its quarterly dividend by 13% to $1.47 per share, a signal of confidence in cash generation that can attract income-oriented investors. Costco (COST) Surges to New 52-Week Peak Following Strong Dividend Boost
• Positive Sentiment: Several articles framed Costco as a breakout candidate after its recent rally, with commentary pointing to strong year-to-date momentum and a new 52-week high. Prediction: The Stage is Set for a Costco Stock Breakout
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is also gaining attention for product expansion and brand strength, including a test of new chicken strips in food courts and a broader rollout of mixsoon skincare products across U.S. warehouse locations. Costco is testing chicken strips in food courts and customers say they’re ginormous
• Neutral Sentiment: One article highlighted a legal issue tied to a disability discrimination verdict, which adds some headline risk but appears smaller than the company’s sales and dividend positives. How Investors Are Reacting To Costco Wholesale (COST) Double‑Digit April Sales, Florida Expansion And Jury Verdict
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary remains constructive overall, with coverage describing Costco as resilient and well positioned, but these pieces mainly reinforce an already favorable narrative rather than introducing a new catalyst. The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights Costco, Coca-Cola, AstraZeneca and Franklin Financial Services

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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