Stephens Inc. AR Buys 1,012 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Stephens Inc. AR increased its Costco stake by 6.8% in the fourth quarter, buying 1,012 additional shares and bringing its total holdings to 15,933 shares worth about $13.9 million.
• Institutional ownership remains very high, with major funds like Vanguard, Amundi, and Fisher Asset Management also adding shares; institutions now own 68.48% of Costco stock.
• Costco continues to show solid business momentum with a recent earnings beat, a raised quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share, and ongoing store expansion highlighted by a new warehouse opening in New Braunfels, Texas.

Stephens Inc. AR boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 6.8% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 15,933 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 1,012 shares during the quarter. Stephens Inc. AR's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $13,911,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.4% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 43,620,717 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $37,615,889,000 after purchasing an additional 165,349 shares during the period. Amundi boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 45.0% during the 3rd quarter. Amundi now owns 3,176,606 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $2,893,697,000 after purchasing an additional 986,182 shares during the period. Fisher Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.1% during the 3rd quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 3,145,241 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $2,911,331,000 after purchasing an additional 34,826 shares during the period. American Century Companies Inc. boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 8.5% during the 3rd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 1,619,703 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,499,246,000 after purchasing an additional 127,495 shares during the period. Finally, Principal Financial Group Inc. boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.7% during the 3rd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 1,210,837 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,120,787,000 after purchasing an additional 8,259 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco opened a long-awaited warehouse in New Braunfels, Texas, adding to its store base and reinforcing investor confidence in continued unit growth and market expansion. Long-awaited Costco Wholesale now open in New Braunfels
• Positive Sentiment: Another report confirmed the New Braunfels store is now open for business, underscoring Costco’s ongoing rollout of new locations that can support membership and revenue growth. Costco Wholesale now open for business in New Braunfels
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market commentary continue to favor Costco’s membership-driven model, saying it benefits from resilient grocery demand and supports steady growth even in a volatile retail backdrop. WMT or COST: Which Retail Giant Looks More Attractive Now?
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s purchase of a 55-acre property in Florida suggests the company is still investing in significant long-term store growth, which investors typically view as a sign of confidence in future demand. Costco Just Signed Off on a Massive Retail Real Estate Deal in Florida. Here's What Investors Need to Know About Costco's Store Growth Goals.
• Neutral Sentiment: Articles debating whether Costco is still a good buy after its multi-year rally mostly reinforce that the stock remains a quality business but is expensive, making the reaction more about valuation than any new fundamental change. Is It Too Late To Consider Costco Wholesale (COST) After Its Strong Multi Year Rally
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage on Costco’s food court chicken tender launch is generating consumer buzz, but the main takeaway is mixed, with some concerns about whether it replaces a favorite item rather than clearly boosting the investment outlook. Costco food court chicken tender launch sparks concerns over item replacement
• Negative Sentiment: Some recent commentary flags Costco’s premium valuation and argues the stock may be difficult to justify at current levels, which can temper enthusiasm despite strong fundamentals. Costco: Strong Fundamentals Meet Growth Premium - A Hold Entering FQ3'26
• Negative Sentiment: Another Seeking Alpha piece argues there is a reason to sell Costco beyond valuation, adding to the cautious tone around the stock’s elevated price level. Costco: Another Reason To Sell (Besides The Valuation)

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the 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 of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts recently weighed in on the company. Raymond James Financial increased their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Gordon Haskett increased their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. BTIG Research restated a "buy" rating and set a $1,115.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group upped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Twenty-two 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 stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,047.27.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 0.7%

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $1,048.95 on Friday. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $1,000.90 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $955.06. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The stock has a market cap of $465.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 54.55, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.16 and a beta of 0.92. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,067.08.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The company's revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $4.02 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st were issued a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is currently 30.58%.

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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