Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Sold by Natixis Advisors LLC

Natixis Advisors LLC lessened its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 11.4% in the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 253,404 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 32,763 shares during the period. Natixis Advisors LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $218,520,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Hurley Capital LLC boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares during the period. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth $31,000. Joseph Group Capital Management acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter worth $34,000. Finally, Collier Financial acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter worth $35,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $946.11 on Tuesday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,096.50. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $1,007.23 and its 200 day simple moving average is $963.04. 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 stock has a market cap of $419.74 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.59, a P/E/G ratio of 4.70 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.72%. The company had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $4.28 earnings per share. Equities analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.36 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st were paid a dividend of $1.47 per share. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 30.58%.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and bulls continue to point to Costco’s strong long-term drivers, including value-focused pricing, membership growth, solid traffic, and digital expansion, with Jefferies and DA Davidson both highlighting the company’s durable business model and reinforcing constructive outlooks. Costco’s value strategy, membership growth support outlook after strong quarter, says Jefferies
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s fiscal Q3 showed continued sales strength, including 9.8% comparable sales growth and 12% revenue growth, while reports also noted record gas sales and strong protein-related demand, suggesting healthy consumer traffic and resilient basket sizes. Is Costco’s 9.8% Comparable Sales Growth Stronger Than It Looks?
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is benefiting from shifting consumer demand for protein-heavy foods and drinks, which could support category growth as GLP-1 usage and wellness trends boost protein spending. Costco is selling wild amounts of protein as whey shortages loom
• Neutral Sentiment: Several new-store and local development stories, including plans for a new Costco in Irondale and efforts to preserve a Kansas City location, are supportive of the growth narrative but are not immediate stock catalysts. New Costco coming to Irondale. Here’s what to know
• Negative Sentiment: The main reason the stock is falling is that investors appear unconvinced the strong operating results justify Costco’s premium valuation, especially after the shares slid to a three-month low following earnings. Costco (COST) Stock Drops 16% From Peak — Should You Buy the Dip?
• Negative Sentiment: Despite solid revenue growth, multiple articles note that the stock did not get a post-earnings boost, reflecting concern about slowing membership growth, margin sensitivity, and whether the recent pullback is enough to make the shares attractive. Why Even 12% Revenue Growth in Q3 Wasn’t Enough to Give Costco’s Stock a Boost

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the sale, 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 sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have commented on COST. Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,192.00 to $1,194.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday. DA Davidson reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday. Roth Mkm boosted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a report on Friday. Bank of America boosted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday. Finally, Evercore set a $1,100.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,056.32.

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.