Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) EVP Sells 900 Shares of Stock

Key Points

• Costco EVP Teresa Jones sold 900 shares for approximately $975,555, reducing her stake by 13.64% to 5,698 shares.
• Costco’s latest quarter beat estimates, with EPS of $6.75 and revenue of $95.72 billion; revenue rose 11.1% year over year. The company also announced a $30 special dividend, payable December 4 to shareholders of record November 24.
• Analysts’ consensus rating is Moderate Buy, with an average price target of $1,092.23; the article lists a P/E ratio of 52.61, highlighting the stock’s premium valuation.

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) EVP Teresa Jones sold 900 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,083.95, for a total transaction of $975,555.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 5,698 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,176,347.10. The trade was a 13.64% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of COST stock traded up $4.60 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $1,092.21. The stock had a trading volume of 2,202,212 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,211,369. The firm's 50 day simple moving average is $960.23 and its 200 day simple moving average is $973.88. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,102.84. The firm has a market cap of $483.99 billion, a PE ratio of 52.61, a P/E/G ratio of 4.71 and a beta of 0.85.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, September 24th. The retailer reported $6.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $6.54 by $0.21. The business had revenue of $95.72 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $94.97 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 27.60% and a net margin of 3.04%. Costco Wholesale's quarterly revenue was up 11.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $5.87 earnings per share. On average, analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 22.70 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a special dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 4th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, November 24th will be paid a $30.00 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, November 24th. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is currently 28.32%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have recently weighed in on COST shares. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Costco Wholesale from a "buy (b)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a report on Wednesday, November 4th. Royal Bank Of Canada restated a "sector perform" rating and set a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, October 9th. BTIG Research reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $1,125.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Wednesday, September 23rd. Robert W. Baird set a $1,175.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Finally, HSBC upgraded Costco Wholesale to a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, September 25th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have given a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,092.23.

More Costco Wholesale News

Here's some of the latest news about COST:

• Positive Sentiment: Costco is among retailers viewed as having strong potential to beat earnings expectations, supported by value-focused pricing and resilient demand; this is an outlook, not a reported earnings result. Retail Stocks With High Probability of an Earnings Beat
• Negative Sentiment: Costco’s premium valuation remains a risk: the supplied background puts its P/E at about 52.6, and Freedom Broker downgraded the shares from Buy to Hold, citing valuation. A high multiple leaves less room for disappointment. Freedom Broker Downgrades Costco on Valuation
• Negative Sentiment: A separate market commentary flagged Costco’s RSI above 70 as an overbought warning after recent gains, suggesting the stock may be vulnerable to a pause or pullback. Risk-Off Stocks With Overbought RSI Readings

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Costco Wholesale

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Contravisory Investment Management Inc. raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 107.7% in the 3rd quarter. Contravisory Investment Management Inc. now owns 27 shares of the retailer's stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 14 shares during the last quarter. C M Bidwell & Associates Ltd. acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth $28,000. Burk Holdings LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth $30,000. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 2nd quarter valued at $30,000. Finally, John Boyer Inc. bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at $32,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Company Profile

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates membership-based warehouse clubs that offer a broad selection of merchandise at generally low prices. Its products include groceries, fresh foods, appliances, electronics, apparel, furniture, and household goods, as well as its Kirkland Signature private-label line. The company also provides services such as gasoline stations, pharmacies, optical and hearing-aid centers, food courts, and travel offerings. Costco serves members through warehouses and online channels.

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