Erste Asset Management GmbH Has $10.60 Million Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Erste Asset Management GmbH grew its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 57.3% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 12,047 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 4,389 shares during the quarter. Erste Asset Management GmbH’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $10,596,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Caliber Wealth Management LLC KS grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.7% during the 3rd quarter. Caliber Wealth Management LLC KS now owns 655 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $606,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Somerset Group LLC grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter. Somerset Group LLC now owns 4,220 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,906,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Hughes Financial Services LLC grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 4.3% during the 3rd quarter. Hughes Financial Services LLC now owns 268 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $245,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Bank & Trust Co grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 18.3% during the 4th quarter. Bank & Trust Co now owns 71 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $61,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Finally, LongView Wealth Management grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% during the 4th quarter. LongView Wealth Management now owns 1,025 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $966,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 0.3%

COST opened at $974.75 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 company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.61. The firm has a market capitalization of $432.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 49.03, a PEG ratio of 4.71 and a beta of 0.88. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $1,006.61 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $964.91.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last posted its earnings results 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 return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.The business had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $4.28 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st were issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is presently 29.58%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on COST shares. HC Wainwright reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. DA Davidson reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, June 4th. Daiwa Securities Group lifted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 10th. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $1,175.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,060.41.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco lowered prices on several Kirkland Signature/private-label items, including food, home goods, and sports equipment, signaling a continued focus on member value and traffic retention. Costco lowers prices on four private-label products across food, home goods and sports equipment aisles
• Positive Sentiment: Reports say Costco is cutting prices on popular Kirkland items, which could strengthen its value image versus competitors and help keep members shopping more often. Why Costco Just Voluntarily Lowered Prices on These Popular Kirkland Items
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s digital business showed strong momentum, with digital comps up sharply and app traffic rising, suggesting a bigger opportunity for online sales and personalization-driven growth. Costco’s Lowered Prices Show Why Shoppers Keep Returning
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts highlighted Costco’s digital surge as a sign the retailer may be becoming an even stronger omnichannel winner. Costco Leans On Kirkland Price Cuts To Support Growth Narrative
• Neutral Sentiment: Several lifestyle and shopping guides featured Costco products for summer and Fourth of July hosting, which adds visibility but is unlikely to materially move the stock. 9 Costco finds to host the best Fourth of July BBQ ever
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary about CEO Ron Vachris’s rise from the warehouse floor is largely narrative-driven and does not appear to change the near-term outlook. Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from the warehouse floor to the corner office without a college degree—and he says it’s thanks to not job hopping
• Negative Sentiment: One article noted Costco’s stock has been falling in recent weeks and is still below recent highs, reflecting some investor caution despite the operational positives. Should You Buy Costco Wholesale Stock While It’s Below $1,000?
• Negative Sentiment: Broader consumer commentary about $4 gas and inflation pressure could weigh on discretionary spending and keep investors cautious about margins and demand trends. Consumers look resilient on the surface, but $4 gas was a tipping point and Costco members are filling up more often in case prices go even higher

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.