Cwm LLC Has $61.83 Million Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Cwm LLC increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 1.4% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 71,705 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 1,023 shares during the quarter. Cwm LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $61,834,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 1,586.8% during the fourth quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 1,137,436 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $980,857,000 after buying an additional 1,070,005 shares in the last quarter. Amundi grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 45.0% during the third quarter. Amundi now owns 3,176,606 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,893,697,000 after buying an additional 986,182 shares in the last quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 112.2% during the third quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC now owns 477,425 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $441,919,000 after buying an additional 252,453 shares in the last quarter. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 638.7% during the second quarter. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC now owns 227,310 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $225,023,000 after buying an additional 196,537 shares in the last quarter. Finally, CIBC Bancorp USA Inc. acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth approximately $158,189,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total value of $838,321.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 4,228 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,169,907.28. This represents a 16.74% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the stock in a transaction on 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 completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 2,038 shares of company stock worth $2,007,916. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on COST. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on 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. Evercore set a $1,100.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, March 2nd. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and set a $1,050.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein restated an “outperform” rating and set a $1,155.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,043.13.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 1.0%

NASDAQ COST opened at $984.75 on Thursday. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $995.81 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $943.83. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.59. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,067.08. The stock has a market capitalization of $436.88 billion, a PE ratio of 51.21, a PEG ratio of 4.80 and a beta of 0.99.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $68.96 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $4.02 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st will be paid a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 1st. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is currently 27.04%.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Board approved a 13% increase in the quarterly cash dividend (from $1.30 to $1.47 per share; annualized $5.88), payable May 15 — a shareholder-friendly move that supports income investors and signals confidence in cash flow. GlobeNewswire: Dividend Announcement
• Positive Sentiment: Research houses (Telsey Advisory Group and Wells Fargo) raised price targets and reiterated positive ratings, citing steady execution — analyst upgrades and higher targets often lift sentiment and buying interest. Yahoo Finance: Telsey & Wells Fargo Raise Targets
• Positive Sentiment: Recent retail data show strong March sales and comp-store strength (including digital growth), reinforcing the view that Costco’s membership model continues to drive traffic and sales momentum. Zacks: Strong March Retail Sales
• Positive Sentiment: International expansion, especially strong performance in Japan (now a top market), highlights recurring membership growth and a path for overseas store openings to add incremental revenue. Yahoo Finance: Japan Growth
• Neutral Sentiment: Positive brand coverage (iconic U.S. positioning, $1.50 hot dog lore) reinforces customer loyalty and marketing moat but has limited direct near-term impact on earnings. USA Today: Iconic Brand Story
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary suggesting Costco could be considered for the Dow adds prestige and occasional headline interest, but index inclusion is speculative and not an immediate earnings driver. 247WallSt: Dow Inclusion Discussion
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple pieces note Costco’s premium valuation (high P/E and compressed yield versus peers) and recent pullback, warning that rich multiples may limit near-term upside despite operational strength. That valuation concern is a key counterweight for growth-oriented buyers. Yahoo Finance: Valuation / Reassessment

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.