Securian Asset Management Inc. Trims Stock Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Securian Asset Management cut its Costco stake by 43.7% in the fourth quarter, selling 9,366 shares and ending with 12,051 shares valued at about $10.4 million.
• Costco’s latest quarterly results were solid, with EPS of $4.58 beating estimates and revenue of $69.6 billion topping forecasts; analysts still expect full-year EPS of 20.32.
• The company raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share from $1.30, while analysts remain broadly positive with a consensus Moderate Buy rating and an average price target of $1,046.03.

Securian Asset Management Inc. lowered its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 43.7% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 12,051 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 9,366 shares during the quarter. Securian Asset Management Inc.'s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $10,392,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Hurley Capital LLC grew its stake 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 acquiring an additional 18 shares during the period. Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Collier Financial bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

COST stock opened at $1,008.79 on Monday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,067.08. 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 company has a market capitalization of $447.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.46, a PEG ratio of 4.97 and a beta of 0.92. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $998.03 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $951.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The business had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $4.02 EPS. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.32 EPS 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. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st will be paid a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date is 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 currently 30.58%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on COST shares. TD Cowen reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, March 6th. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective 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. UBS Group set a $1,175.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, March 6th. DA Davidson reiterated a "neutral" rating and set a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, April 10th. Finally, Oppenheimer boosted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,046.03.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: April net sales rose 13% and comparable sales remained strong, signaling resilient demand and solid momentum for Costco’s core business. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports April Sales Results
• Positive Sentiment: Bank of America reiterated a Buy rating after the sales update, pointing to Costco’s steady comparable sales trend despite macro uncertainty. Costco April sales top expectations despite Easter shift, macroeconomic uncertainty
• Positive Sentiment: Deutsche Bank raised its price target and kept a Buy rating, adding to bullish sentiment around the stock. Deutsche Bank adjusts Costco Wholesale PT
• Positive Sentiment: Market chatter around a possible special dividend later this year may be attracting income-focused investors to COST. Is Costco Preparing Another Special Dividend This Year?
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco is also in the news for store expansion plans in California and Florida, which is constructive long term but not an immediate stock catalyst. Costco plots major California expansion as it announces new store openings
• Neutral Sentiment: Several lifestyle and product roundups highlight Costco’s strong brand and value perception, but these are unlikely to move the stock much on their own.
• Negative Sentiment: A lawsuit over Costco’s tariff-refund pricing strategy could create legal and margin uncertainty, though the longer-term financial impact is still unclear. Costco’s Going to Court Because It Wants to Give You Tariff Refunds

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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