Pictet Asset Management Holding SA Acquires 4,442 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Pictet Asset Management increased its stake in Costco by 4,442 shares in Q4, bringing its holding to 235,774 shares valued at about $203.33M (roughly 0.05% of the company).
• Costco beat quarterly expectations with EPS of $4.58 (vs. $4.55) and revenue of $69.6B, up 9.2% YoY, and the company raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 (ex-dividend May 1; annualized $5.88, yield 0.6%).
• Institutional investors own about 68.48% of Costco, and analysts have a "Moderate Buy" consensus with an average price target of $1,045.97.

Pictet Asset Management Holding SA increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 1.9% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 235,774 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 4,442 shares during the period. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA owned 0.05% of Costco Wholesale worth $203,330,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of COST. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. grew 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 period. Amundi grew 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 period. Voloridge Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 112.2% during the third quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC now owns 477,425 shares of the retailer's stock worth $441,919,000 after acquiring an additional 252,453 shares during the period. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 638.7% during the second quarter. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC now owns 227,310 shares of the retailer's stock worth $225,023,000 after acquiring an additional 196,537 shares during the period. Finally, CIBC Bancorp USA Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth approximately $158,189,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 1.3%

NASDAQ COST opened at $998.01 on Tuesday. 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 Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,067.08. The company has a 50 day moving average of $996.71 and a 200-day moving average of $948.66. The company has a market cap of $442.77 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.90, a PEG ratio of 4.98 and a beta of 0.99.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The company had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $4.02 earnings per share. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 earnings per share 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. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st will be given a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 1st. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 30.58%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred 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 completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly 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 transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

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?

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

COST has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. TD Cowen restated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, March 6th. Gordon Haskett boosted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, BTIG Research restated a "buy" rating and set a $1,115.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,045.97.

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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