Costco Wholesale Corporation Company Profile (NASDAQ:COST)

Costco Wholesale Corporation trades on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol "COST."

Costco Wholesale Corporation declared a quarterly dividend on Tuesday, August 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 18th will be given a dividend of $0.50 per share on Friday, September 1st. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.26%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, August 16th. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale Corporation's previous quarterly dividend of $0.45. View Costco Wholesale Corporation's Dividend History.

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October, 5th. The company reported $2.08 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.02 by $0.06. The business earned $42.30 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $41.55 billion. Costco Wholesale Corporation had a return on equity of 22.33% and a net margin of 2.08%. Costco Wholesale Corporation's revenue for the quarter was up 15.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.77 EPS. View Costco Wholesale Corporation's Earnings History.

Costco Wholesale Corporation is scheduled to release their next quarterly earnings announcement on Wednesday, December, 6th 2017. View Earnings Estimates for Costco Wholesale Corporation.

26 analysts have issued 12-month target prices for Costco Wholesale Corporation's shares. Their predictions range from $140.00 to $200.00. On average, they anticipate Costco Wholesale Corporation's share price to reach $177.80 in the next year. View Analyst Ratings for Costco Wholesale Corporation.

Here are some recent quotes from research analysts about Costco Wholesale Corporation stock:

• 1. According to Zacks Investment Research, "Costco continues to be one of the dominant retail wholesalers based on the breadth and quality of merchandise offered. The stock has outpaced the industry in a year gaining from sturdy comps performance and upbeat results in fourth-quarter fiscal 2017. Costco seems somewhat unfazed by tough retail scenario, comprising soft traffic and inclination toward online shopping. Moreover, we believe that the hike in annual membership fees and higher penetration of Citi Visa co-brand card program will also benefit the stock. We are also encouraged by Costco’s expansion strategy, as it remains committed to opening new clubs and expanding e-commerce capabilities. However, stiff competition and cautious consumer spending remain threats. Further, investors remain concerned about the contraction in gross margin and marginal decline in membership renewal rates that is expected to continue for at least a quarter or two. These may hurt the bottom line." (10/9/2017)
• 2. Citigroup Inc. analysts commented, "COST reported 1Q17 EPS of $1.17 (-5.5% y/y) below of our $1.35 estimate and the Street's $1.36. Reasons we'd buy COST on a post-2Q dip: 1) The new credit card benefitted 2Q EPS by $0.16 and is seeing strong trends in account activation, card usage and new sign-ups. 2) COST announced a North American membership fee increase of ~10% to go into effect 6/1. The additional revenue affords COST the ability to further invest in pricing for members, an important lever for growth. 3) Online sales reaccelerated to +12% in 2Q, from +8% in 1Q, driven by COST's investments in site functionality, merch availability and delivery/returns. 4) The dynamics underlying our expectation for accelerating SSS growth in 2H17 remain in place. 5) COST's capital structure is solid, supporting our belief that another special dividend could be paid this year. We reiterate our Buy rating on COST." (3/6/2017)
• 3. Cowen and Company analysts commented, "In addition to appreciating $39.99 red roses we are buyers of COST as we expect steady traffic gains should continue on superior value and brands, an appealing shopping experience, & a global runway of growth. The qtr. did highlight changes ahead including promotional direct mail changes, membership fee increases, & online expansion ' these factors should help fortify long-term growth. What's MVM?.. We believe Costco is well positioned to continue delivering double-digit earnings growth over the near to medium term driven by square footage growth, steady membership revenue growth, and positive same-store sales comps. Costco's higher income customer base (average household income of ~$96,000) is faring better economically than low- to middle-income consumers, who continue to struggle with wage growth. We believe superb price/value, luxury product, and streamlined assortment helps drive a sustainable high-margin membership stream. Rated Outperform with a $170 PT based on ~28x FY2017E EPS." (3/3/2017)
• 4. BMO Capital Markets analysts commented, "Costco reported a large F2Q17 EPS miss given several margin-related headwinds. On the positive side, Costco also announced it is raising membership fees in the U.S. and Canada on June 1 by ~9% and U.S. customer traffic remained a solid +3% in February. We rate COST shares Outperform with a $180 target price." (3/3/2017)
• 5. Wells Fargo & Company analysts commented, "We are raising our FY17/18 EPS estimates by $0.02 each to $5.85/$6.50 owing primarily to recent fluctuations in FX and fuel. Reiterate Market Perform." (2/2/2017)

Costco Wholesale Corporation same-store sales climbed 8.9% in the month of September. Costco Wholesale Corporation stock climbed by 0% in the first full-day of trading following the news.

Costco Wholesale Corporation saw a decrease in short interest during the month of September. As of September 15th, there was short interest totalling 13,612,611 shares, a decrease of 9.9% from the August 31st total of 15,112,603 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 3,085,068 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 4.4 days. Currently, 3.1% of the company's shares are sold short.

Some companies that are related to Costco Wholesale Corporation include McDonald's Corporation (MCD), Inditex (IDEXY), The Priceline Group (PCLN), Starbucks Corporation (SBUX), CVS Health Corporation (CVS), Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA), Lowe's Companies (LOW), Kering Unspon (PPRUY), TJX Companies, Inc. (The) (TJX), Hennes & Mauritz AB (HNNMY), Wal-Mart de Mexico SAB de CV (WMMVY), eBay (EBAY), Target Corporation (TGT), Yum! Brands (YUM), Ross Stores (ROST), Expedia (EXPE), Dollar General Corporation (DG) and Dollar Tree (DLTR).

Costco Wholesale Corporation's management team includes the folowing people:

• Hamilton E. James, Chairman of the Board
• W. Craig Jelinek, President, Chief Executive Officer, Director
• Richard A. Galanti, Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice President
• Ron M. Vachris, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Merchandising
• Paul G. Moulton, Executive Vice President, Chief Information Officer
• Franz E. Lazarus, Executive Vice President - Administration
• John D. McKay, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer - Northern Division
• James P. Murphy, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer - International
• Joseph P. Portera, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer - Eastern and Canadian Divisions, Chief Diversity Officer
• Timothy L. Rose, Executive Vice President - Ancillary Businesses, Manufacturing, and Business Centers

Costco Wholesale Corporation's stock is owned by many different of retail and institutional investors. Top institutional investors include Neville Rodie & Shaw Inc. (0.01%), Fulton Bank N.A. (0.00%), Private Asset Management Inc. (0.00%), Bridges Investment Management Inc. (0.00%), Crow Point Partners LLC (0.00%) and Bridges Investment Counsel Inc. (0.00%). Company insiders that own Costco Wholesale Corporation stock include Daniel M Hines, David S Petterson, Dennis R Zook, Douglas W Schutt, Franz E Lazarus, James D Sinegal, James P Murphy, Jill S Ruckelshaus, John D Mckay, John W Meisenbach, John W Stanton, Paul G Moulton, Richard A Galanti, Richard M Libenson, Roland Michael Vachris and Timothy L Rose. View Institutional Ownership Trends for Costco Wholesale Corporation.

Costco Wholesale Corporation's stock was sold by a variety of institutional investors in the last quarter, including Private Asset Management Inc., Bridges Investment Counsel Inc., Neville Rodie & Shaw Inc. and Fulton Bank N.A.. Company insiders that have sold Costco Wholesale Corporation stock in the last year include Daniel M Hines, David S Petterson, Dennis R Zook, James D Sinegal, James P Murphy, John D Mckay, John W Meisenbach, Paul G Moulton, Richard A Galanti, Richard M Libenson, Roland Michael Vachris and Timothy L Rose. View Insider Buying and Selling for Costco Wholesale Corporation.

Costco Wholesale Corporation's stock was bought by a variety of institutional investors in the last quarter, including Crow Point Partners LLC and Bridges Investment Management Inc.. View Insider Buying and Selling for Costco Wholesale Corporation.

Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation can be purchased through any online brokerage account. Popular online brokerages include Vanguard Brokerage Services, TD Ameritrade, E*TRADE, Scottrade, Fidelity and Charles Schwab.

One share of Costco Wholesale Corporation stock can currently be purchased for approximately $158.38.