Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. Boosts Stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Rockefeller Capital Management increased its Costco stake by 20.4% in the fourth quarter, adding 66,904 shares to reach 394,311 shares valued at about $340 million.
• Institutional ownership remains heavy, with hedge funds and other investors holding 68.48% of Costco’s shares, and several smaller firms also recently initiating or adding positions.
• Analyst sentiment is still constructive overall: Costco has a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating, though opinions vary and the stock’s premium valuation remains a concern despite recent strong operating results and a dividend increase.

Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. lifted its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 20.4% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 394,311 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 66,904 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale accounts for about 0.6% of Rockefeller Capital Management L.P.'s investment portfolio, making the stock its 21st largest holding. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. owned about 0.09% of Costco Wholesale worth $340,031,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Hurley Capital LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Entrust Financial LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

COST has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Mizuho set a $1,100.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Roth Mkm boosted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the stock a "sell" rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday. They set a "neutral" rating and a $1,020.00 price objective on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,110.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday, April 17th. Finally, Bank of America raised their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two research 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. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,061.45.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ COST opened at $951.45 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,096.50. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $1,000.19 and its 200-day moving average price is $969.01. The stock has a market cap of $421.95 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.86, a P/E/G ratio of 4.61 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.94 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations 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 in the prior year, the firm earned $4.28 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current fiscal 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 issued a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. 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. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is presently 29.58%.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s latest operating update showed strong momentum, with comparable sales up 9.8%, membership fees rising 10.7%, and digitally enabled sales jumping 21.5%, reinforcing the company’s durable growth story. Prediction: Costco Will Trade At This Price in 2027
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentators continue to highlight Costco’s competitive advantages, loyal membership base, and ongoing technology investments to improve the shopping experience and ease customer pain points like parking. Costco tackles major frustration for members
• Positive Sentiment: Several recent articles frame the stock weakness as a possible buying opportunity, pointing to Costco’s resilient business model and long-term compounding potential. Why Weakness in Dividend-Paying Costco Stock Is a Strong Buying Opportunity
• Neutral Sentiment: Fresh media coverage around Costco products, store hours, and local development approvals is supportive of brand visibility, but these items are unlikely to materially move the stock on their own. Is Costco open on Juneteenth?
• Negative Sentiment: Investor sentiment remains cautious because Costco’s premium valuation is being questioned amid macro uncertainty and sticky inflation, with one recent note saying growth may not fully justify the stock’s price. Should You Buy Costco Stock for the Long Haul? Here's the Honest Answer.
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst disagreement is also weighing on the shares, with one report noting Costco fell after Citi and Bernstein issued conflicting views on the big-box retailer. Costco Stock (COST) Drops as Analysts Can’t Agree on the Big-Box Retailer

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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