Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Has $85.11 Million Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Thrivent Financial for Lutherans significantly boosted its Costco stake, increasing holdings by 92.7% in the fourth quarter to 98,640 shares worth about $85.1 million.
• Costco reported another strong quarter, posting EPS of $4.58 versus estimates of $4.55 and revenue of $69.6 billion, while quarterly sales rose 9.2% year over year.
• The retailer also raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share from $1.30, though analysts remain mixed on valuation with a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $1,047.27.

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 92.7% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 98,640 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 47,441 shares during the period. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans' holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $85,108,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Hurley Capital LLC raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer's stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Joseph Group Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth about $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth about $34,000. Collier Financial acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth about $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth about $36,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the 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 transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Key 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)

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on COST shares. Citigroup restated a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, February 20th. Roth Mkm reaffirmed a "sell" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. Evercore set a $1,100.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, March 2nd. The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,171.00 to $1,088.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $1,050.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,047.27.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 0.7%

Shares of COST stock opened at $1,048.95 on Friday. 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 has a 50-day simple moving average of $1,000.90 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $955.06. The company has a market capitalization of $465.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 54.55, a PEG ratio of 5.13 and a beta of 0.92.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. 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 firm posted $4.02 EPS. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 EPS for the current fiscal 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 given a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is currently 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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