Rakuten Investment Management Inc. Acquires 81,935 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Rakuten Investment Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 28,648.6% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 82,221 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 81,935 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale makes up approximately 0.2% of Rakuten Investment Management Inc.'s portfolio, making the stock its 24th biggest position. Rakuten Investment Management Inc.'s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $71,355,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Hurley Capital LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer's stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $31,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at about $34,000. Joseph Group Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $33,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at about $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have recently commented on COST shares. Daiwa Securities Group raised their target price on Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 10th. Citigroup restated a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, February 20th. UBS Group raised their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 20th. HC Wainwright restated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Finally, BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on 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 given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,060.41.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

COST stock opened at $979.45 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $434.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 49.27, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.76 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.07. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,096.50. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $1,004.63 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $967.91.

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

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st were paid a dividend of $1.47 per share. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 29.58%.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market commentators highlighted Costco’s strong membership model, record gasoline sales, and expanding e-commerce and wellness offerings as signs that the company continues to deepen customer loyalty and drive higher spending. Costco Leans On Gasoline, E Commerce And Wellness To Deepen Member Value
• Positive Sentiment: Several pieces argued that Costco still looks like a premium growth story, with steady comparable sales, strong cash generation, and digital sales gaining more credit from investors. Can Costco Stock Break $1,100 by 2027?
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks described Costco as a top long-term growth stock, reinforcing the view that its scale, membership strength, and recurring demand make it attractive to growth-oriented investors. Why Costco (COST) is a Top Growth Stock for the Long-Term
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage of Costco’s Pensacola warehouse opening underscored the company’s continued expansion and dominance in the warehouse-club market, which supports the bull case for future revenue growth. Costco’s dominance shows why its Pensacola debut matters
• Neutral Sentiment: Other articles mostly repeated the same positive thesis—trending stock status, digital sales outpacing the core business, and strong investor interest—without adding major new company-specific catalysts. Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) Shows How Digitally Enabled Sales Are Outrunning Its Core Business
• Negative Sentiment: One broader retail article focused on Walmart’s slowing core U.S. business, which could keep investors cautious about the retail sector even as Costco continues to stand out. The Number That Could Test Walmart Stock

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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