Savant Capital LLC Reduces Stock Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Savant Capital LLC cut its Costco stake by 29.7% in the fourth quarter, selling 5,108 shares and leaving it with 12,075 shares valued at about $10.4 million.
• Costco posted strong third-quarter results, with revenue of $70.53 billion beating estimates and same-store sales rising 9.8%, though earnings per share of $4.93 narrowly missed expectations.
• Despite the earnings miss, analysts remain broadly positive: the stock has a Moderate Buy consensus rating, and Costco recently raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share from $1.30.

Savant Capital LLC decreased its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 29.7% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 12,075 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 5,108 shares during the quarter. Savant Capital LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $10,413,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Hurley Capital LLC raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer's stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth $31,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter worth $34,000. Collier Financial bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter worth $35,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth $33,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 9th. The stock was 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. This trade represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco posted strong third-quarter results, with revenue of $70.53 billion topping estimates and same-store sales rising 9.8%, showing that members are still spending on essentials and value-focused purchases.
• Positive Sentiment: Gasoline sales were a standout, with Costco’s gas stations setting all-time or record volume levels as drivers sought lower-priced fuel amid elevated energy costs. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Digital growth and membership strength continued to support results, helping offset margin pressure and reinforcing Costco’s value-driven model.
• Positive Sentiment: Several Wall Street firms raised price targets or reiterated bullish ratings, including Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, Bernstein, BTIG, and Morgan Stanley, signaling confidence in Costco’s long-term fundamentals.
• Neutral Sentiment: DA Davidson reaffirmed a neutral rating with a $1,000 target, suggesting modest upside but not a strong catalyst for a re-rating.
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco said it will return U.S. tariff refunds to members “in some form,” which may help customer loyalty but does not yet provide a clear financial boost.
• Negative Sentiment: EPS of $4.93 missed consensus by a small margin, and investors appear focused on the earnings shortfall more than the sales beat.
• Negative Sentiment: Margin pressure from higher costs and a premium valuation have prompted some traders to sell after the report, limiting enthusiasm despite the strong top-line performance.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have issued reports on COST. Truist Financial increased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Friday. Weiss Ratings upgraded Costco Wholesale from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 17th. Rothschild & Co Redburn increased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 17th. Citigroup restated a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, February 20th. Finally, Mizuho raised their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,065.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, April 16th. Twenty-one 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 data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,056.32.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $956.32 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,096.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.59. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $1,007.80 and a 200-day moving average price of $962.48. The company has a market capitalization of $424.27 billion, a PE ratio of 49.73, a PEG ratio of 4.90 and a beta of 0.92.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.98 by ($0.05). Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The company had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $69.68 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $4.28 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.33 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors 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%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is 30.58%.

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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