Vanguard Group Inc. Buys 165,349 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in Costco by 0.4%, buying 165,349 shares to hold 43,620,717 shares — roughly 9.83% of the company and about $37.6 billion in value, making Costco its 20th-largest position.
• Costco increased its quarterly dividend to $1.47 (annualized $5.88) with an ex-dividend/record date in early May, yielding about 0.6% and signaling confidence in cash flow.
• Analysts maintain a consensus "Moderate Buy" (22 Buys, 11 Holds, 1 Sell) with an average target of $1,045.97, and Costco recently beat quarterly estimates (EPS $4.58 vs. $4.55; revenue $69.6B vs. $68.96B), helped by membership-fee tailwinds and store expansion.

Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 0.4% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 43,620,717 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 165,349 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale makes up about 0.5% of Vanguard Group Inc.'s portfolio, making the stock its 20th biggest position. Vanguard Group Inc. owned approximately 9.83% of Costco Wholesale worth $37,615,889,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of COST. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 49.3% in the 3rd quarter. Silver Oak Securities Incorporated now owns 3,780 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $3,499,000 after purchasing an additional 1,248 shares during the last quarter. Permanent Capital Management LP acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth $874,000. FORA Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at about $2,781,000. Teacher Retirement System of Texas raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 24.5% in the fourth 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 during the last quarter. Finally, Curtis Advisory Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 56.7% in the fourth quarter. Curtis Advisory Group LLC now owns 4,535 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $3,911,000 after buying an additional 1,641 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

COST has been the subject of a number of research reports. Oppenheimer upped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. DA Davidson restated a "neutral" rating and set a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, April 10th. BTIG Research restated a "buy" rating and set a $1,115.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, Mizuho upped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,065.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 16th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,045.97.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the company's stock in a transaction 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 approximately $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 0.3%

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $1,011.15 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,067.08. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $997.12 and a 200 day moving average price of $948.04. The stock has a market capitalization of $448.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.00 and a beta of 0.99.

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

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st will be paid a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 1st. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. 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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