Tredje AP fonden Has $43.48 Million Stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Tredje AP fonden increased its Costco stake by 222% in the fourth quarter, ending with 50,420 shares valued at about $43.5 million.
• Wall Street sentiment on Costco remains constructive, with 22 Buy ratings versus 11 Hold and 1 Sell, and an average Moderate Buy rating with a target price of $1,047.27.
• Costco continues to show strong operating momentum, recently posting better-than-expected earnings and revenue and raising its quarterly dividend by 13% to $1.47 per share.

Tredje AP fonden grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 222.0% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 50,420 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 34,762 shares during the quarter. Tredje AP fonden's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $43,479,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in COST. FORA Capital LLC acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth $2,781,000. World Investment Advisors increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 8.4% in the 4th quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 20,081 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $15,835,000 after buying an additional 1,560 shares during the period. Teacher Retirement System of Texas raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 24.5% in the 4th quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 140,429 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $121,098,000 after buying an additional 27,625 shares in the last quarter. Curtis Advisory Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 56.7% during the 4th quarter. Curtis Advisory Group LLC now owns 4,535 shares of the retailer's stock worth $3,911,000 after acquiring an additional 1,641 shares during the period. Finally, Mariner LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.5% during the 3rd quarter. Mariner LLC now owns 399,894 shares of the retailer's stock worth $370,140,000 after acquiring an additional 5,937 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts recently weighed in on COST shares. Bank of America began coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, February 27th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $1,185.00 target price on the stock. Truist Financial raised their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $926.00 to $977.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Raymond James Financial lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Oppenheimer upped 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. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a research report 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 company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,047.27.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total value of $732,204.60. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 2.6%

Shares of COST stock opened at $1,076.47 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $477.58 billion, a P/E ratio of 55.98, a P/E/G 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 $1,079.83. 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 firm has a 50-day moving average price of $1,002.78 and a 200 day moving average price of $956.31.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The firm 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 company's revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $4.02 earnings per share. Research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st were given a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 30.58%.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco reported strong April sales, with net sales up 13.0% year over year, comparable sales rising 11.6%, and digital sales climbing 18.8%, reinforcing its reputation as a defensive retailer benefiting from value-focused consumer spending. Costco's April Sales Reinforce Its Case as the Ultimate Defensive Stock
• Positive Sentiment: The company boosted its quarterly dividend by 13% to $1.47 per share, a signal of confidence in cash generation that can attract income-oriented investors. Costco (COST) Surges to New 52-Week Peak Following Strong Dividend Boost
• Positive Sentiment: Several articles framed Costco as a breakout candidate after its recent rally, with commentary pointing to strong year-to-date momentum and a new 52-week high. Prediction: The Stage is Set for a Costco Stock Breakout
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is also gaining attention for product expansion and brand strength, including a test of new chicken strips in food courts and a broader rollout of mixsoon skincare products across U.S. warehouse locations. Costco is testing chicken strips in food courts and customers say they’re ginormous
• Neutral Sentiment: One article highlighted a legal issue tied to a disability discrimination verdict, which adds some headline risk but appears smaller than the company’s sales and dividend positives. How Investors Are Reacting To Costco Wholesale (COST) Double‑Digit April Sales, Florida Expansion And Jury Verdict
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary remains constructive overall, with coverage describing Costco as resilient and well positioned, but these pieces mainly reinforce an already favorable narrative rather than introducing a new catalyst. The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights Costco, Coca-Cola, AstraZeneca and Franklin Financial Services

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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