State of Michigan Retirement System Has $146.40 Million Stock Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• State of Michigan Retirement System trimmed its stake in Costco by 2.9%, selling 5,100 shares and leaving it with 169,769 shares valued at $146,399,000, representing about 0.7% of its holdings and the fund’s 20th largest position.
• Costco raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 (annualized $5.88) and is benefiting from a prior membership fee increase, with a recent quarterly beat (EPS $4.58 vs. $4.55) and revenue of $69.6 billion, up 9.2% year-over-year.
• Institutional interest remains strong—major managers like Assenagon, Amundi, Voloridge and Worldquant materially increased stakes—and institutions own 68.48% of the stock while analysts’ consensus price target sits near $1,045.97 (overall "Moderate Buy").

State of Michigan Retirement System lowered its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 2.9% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 169,769 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 5,100 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale accounts for about 0.7% of State of Michigan Retirement System's holdings, making the stock its 20th largest position. State of Michigan Retirement System's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $146,399,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of COST. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1,586.8% in the fourth quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 1,137,436 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $980,857,000 after purchasing an additional 1,070,005 shares in the last quarter. Amundi boosted its stake 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 buying an additional 986,182 shares in the last quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 112.2% in the 3rd quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC now owns 477,425 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $441,919,000 after buying an additional 252,453 shares during the period. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 638.7% in the 2nd quarter. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC now owns 227,310 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $225,023,000 after buying an additional 196,537 shares during the period. Finally, CIBC Bancorp USA Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at $158,189,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Board raised the quarterly cash dividend to $1.47 (annualized $5.88), signaling confidence in cash flow and making the stock more attractive to income-focused investors. Costco (COST) Approves Quarterly Dividend Increase Amid Robust Sales Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage highlights that the September 2024 membership fee hike is now fully flowing into 2026 results, helping margin expansion and supporting recent EPS beats — a direct earnings tailwind. Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST): One of the Best Safe Stocks for Beginner Investors
• Positive Sentiment: Company continues to open new warehouses, plus a Costco Business Center and fuel station win that should boost regional sales and commercial accounts over time. Expansion supports long-term same-store growth and membership value. Costco aims for dozens more warehouses in coming years: Here’s when the newest open
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple commentary pieces debate valuation: some say near-$1,000 price is justified by cash generation and resilience, others warn the stock looks expensive — this debate can mute buying momentum. Is Costco's Stock Too Expensive Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: Market-note pieces pointing to recent intraday moves and the stock’s position relative to its all-time high are creating short-term trading interest but not new fundamental news. Costco (COST) Ascends While Market Falls: Some Facts to Note
• Negative Sentiment: Sam’s Club launched initiatives touted as reasons some members might switch, renewing concerns about competitive pressure on membership growth and price-driven traffic. Sam's Club just gave members a reason to ditch Costco
• Negative Sentiment: Rivals such as BJ’s are expanding into new markets (e.g., Texas), adding localized competition that could pressure price or fuel margins in certain regions. New BJ's locations Texas: Club rivaling Costco, Sam's expands to Texas

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the firm's 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 transaction of $732,204.60. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This trade represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have recently commented on COST. Truist Financial raised their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $926.00 to $977.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Costco Wholesale from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 17th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,110.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday, April 17th. Finally, Roth Mkm reiterated a "sell" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,045.97.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $1,011.15 on Monday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,067.08. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 1.06. The company's fifty day moving average is $997.12 and its 200-day moving average is $948.27. The company has a market capitalization of $448.60 billion, a PE ratio of 52.58, a P/E/G ratio of 4.98 and a beta of 0.99.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last posted its 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. The business had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $4.02 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st will be paid a dividend of $1.47 per share. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is currently 27.04%.

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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