Pictet Asset Management Holding SA Has $301.52 Million Stock Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Pictet Asset Management Holding SA increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 37.3% during the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 322,321 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 87,615 shares during the period. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $301,525,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of COST. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 750.0% in the first quarter. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC now owns 34 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $34,000 after acquiring an additional 30 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Entrust Financial LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $31,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on COST shares. TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating and set a $1,175.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Wednesday, June 3rd. Truist Financial raised their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Oppenheimer lifted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 19th. DA Davidson reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, June 4th. Finally, BTIG Research restated a “buy” rating and issued a $1,125.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, May 29th. 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’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,059.53.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco plans to offer co-branded Medicare Advantage plans with nonprofit insurer SCAN Group, initially in two states pending regulatory approval. The offerings may eventually include pharmacy, vision, hearing and over-the-counter benefits, potentially increasing member engagement and monetization. Costco launching Medicare Advantage plans with SCAN Group
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market commentary continue to highlight Costco’s Executive membership growth, digital sales conversion and rising fee income as evidence that the company is extracting more value from its membership base. Costco also retains broadly favorable analyst coverage, with a consensus view around “Moderate Buy.” Can Costco Stock Reach New Highs in Member Monetization?
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco brought back a popular Kirkland product discontinued two years ago. The move may support customer goodwill and traffic, but it is unlikely to materially affect earnings or valuation. Costco discontinued this Kirkland favorite 2 years ago. Now it’s back
• Negative Sentiment: Despite a 121% five-year total return, Costco’s valuation remains a concern. Its elevated earnings multiple leaves less room for disappointment, particularly after the latest quarterly EPS slightly missed estimates, even though revenue exceeded expectations. Costco Stock Looks Fully Priced Despite 121% Returns And Earnings Questions

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

NASDAQ:COST opened at $961.35 on Wednesday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,096.50. The company has a market cap of $426.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 48.36, a P/E/G ratio of 4.57 and a beta of 0.87. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $949.20 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $981.20. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.61.

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 the consensus estimate of $4.94 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $4.28 earnings per share. Equities analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th were issued a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 24th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is currently 29.58%.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at $4,575,653.55. This trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

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.