Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KS Sells 1,327 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KS decreased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 1.4% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 94,838 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 1,327 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale accounts for approximately 1.6% of Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KS’s portfolio, making the stock its 11th largest holding. Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KS’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $86,335,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Bank of America Corp DE purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the second quarter worth $6,781,946,000. State Street Corp increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 31.7% in the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 23,901,594 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $22,359,224,000 after buying an additional 5,749,362 shares in the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the second quarter worth about $2,362,188,000. Ascentis Wealth Management LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 103,637.0% in the second quarter. Ascentis Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,500,062 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,549,616,000 after acquiring an additional 2,497,652 shares during the period. Finally, Corient Private Wealth LP acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the second quarter worth about $726,689,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 1.1%

COST opened at $1,053.56 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $466.86 billion, a PE ratio of 50.75, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.50 and a beta of 0.85. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,096.50. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $952.42 and a 200 day moving average price of $972.49. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, September 24th. The retailer reported $6.75 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.54 by $0.21. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 27.60% and a net margin of 3.04%. The company had revenue of $95.72 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $94.97 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $5.87 EPS. Costco Wholesale’s quarterly revenue was up 11.1% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 22.70 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 30th will be paid a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, October 30th. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is 28.32%.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco reported October net sales of $24.50 billion, up 12.6% year over year. U.S. comparable sales rose 8.1% excluding gasoline-price changes, while digital growth also accelerated—evidence of continued customer demand. Costco’s October Net Sales Jump 12.6% as Digital Growth Accelerates
• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan raised its price target to $1,150 from $1,015 and maintained an overweight rating. Bank of America also kept its buy rating following the stronger U.S. comparable-sales results. JPMorgan price-target update Costco retains BofA buy as October U.S. comps rise
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent coverage points to solid share-price momentum, supported by a string of earnings beats, but investors may be watching whether earnings growth can justify the stock’s valuation. Costco Stock: Earnings Growth Could Shape the Next Big Move
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation remains a key risk: reports cite a trailing P/E near 49, leaving limited room for disappointment, while earnings revisions have raised concerns. Citi maintained a hold rating with a $1,020 target, reflecting a more cautious view than JPMorgan’s. Costco Stock: Why Analysts Are Split Despite Strong October Sales

Analyst Ratings Changes

COST has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $950.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated a “sector perform” rating and set a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, October 9th. Roth Capital reissued a “sell” rating and issued a $781.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, September 25th. Truist Financial cut their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,011.00 to $955.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Finally, Oppenheimer reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $1,160.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Wednesday, September 16th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-four have assigned a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,090.55.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,200 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $915.93, for a total transaction of $2,015,046.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 7,134 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,534,244.62. The trade was a 23.57% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 1,100 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $958.21, for a total transaction of $1,054,031.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 3,094 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,964,701.74. This represents a 26.23% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Profile

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates membership-based warehouse clubs that offer a broad selection of merchandise at generally low prices. Its products include groceries, fresh foods, appliances, electronics, apparel, furniture, and household goods, as well as its Kirkland Signature private-label line.

The company also provides services such as gasoline stations, pharmacies, optical and hearing-aid centers, food courts, and travel offerings. Costco serves members through warehouses and online channels.

Founded in 1983 in Seattle, Costco has expanded across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.