Westerkirk Capital Inc. lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST – Free Report) by 21.7% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 6,058 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,080 shares during the quarter. Westerkirk Capital Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $5,224,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Hurley Capital LLC grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. Joseph Group Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth approximately $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $34,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $36,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
Several equities analysts recently commented on COST shares. DA Davidson restated a “neutral” rating and set a $1,000.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, June 4th. Guggenheim restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Sanford C. Bernstein raised their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,192.00 to $1,194.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Finally, Mizuho set a $1,100.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,060.41.
Costco Wholesale Trading Up 0.3%
COST stock opened at $974.75 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $432.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 49.03, a PEG ratio of 4.71 and a beta of 0.88. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,096.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The business has a fifty day moving average of $1,006.61 and a 200-day moving average of $964.91.
Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST – Get Free Report) last released 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). The firm had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $4.28 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current year.
Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st were given a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. 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%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is presently 29.58%.
Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale
Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Costco reported May net sales of $24.01 billion, up 14.5% year over year, reinforcing that demand remains strong and supporting the bull case for the stock. Is Costco (COST) One of Billionaire Ken Fisher’s Top 11 Dividend Stock Picks?
- Positive Sentiment: Analysts highlighted a “blowout” earnings setup and said investors should expect a strong fourth quarter, which could lift sentiment around Costco’s near-term growth outlook. After Reporting Blowout Earnings, Costco Just Gave Investors Even Better News.
- Positive Sentiment: Costco’s digital business is gaining traction, with digital comps up 21.5% and app traffic rising 37%, suggesting its e-commerce and personalization efforts are helping drive incremental sales. Is Costco’s Digital Surge Making It a Bigger Retail Winner?
- Positive Sentiment: Costco has quietly cut prices on several Kirkland Signature items, including food, home goods, and sports equipment, which may strengthen its value proposition and drive more member traffic. Costco Quietly Slashed Prices on Chicken, Nuts and Other Kirkland Signature Items — What to Know
- Neutral Sentiment: Several articles focused on Costco’s stock being below $1,000 and down from its highs, reflecting valuation concerns rather than a new operational issue. Should You Buy Costco Wholesale Stock While It’s Below $1,000?
- Negative Sentiment: Some commentary noted Costco’s share price has been weak recently, with the stock down from its high, which may reflect investor concerns that the valuation is still rich despite strong fundamentals. Is Costco Stock Finally Cheap Enough to Buy?
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.
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