Vancity Investment Management Ltd Sells 12,486 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Vancity Investment Management Ltd cut its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 39.6% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 19,051 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 12,486 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale comprises approximately 2.2% of Vancity Investment Management Ltd’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 17th biggest position. Vancity Investment Management Ltd’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $16,428,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of COST. FORA Capital LLC acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $2,781,000. World Investment Advisors raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 8.4% during the fourth quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 20,081 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $15,835,000 after purchasing an additional 1,560 shares during the period. Teacher Retirement System of Texas boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 24.5% during the 4th quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 140,429 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $121,098,000 after purchasing an additional 27,625 shares in the last quarter. Curtis Advisory Group LLC grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 56.7% in the 4th quarter. Curtis Advisory Group LLC now owns 4,535 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,911,000 after buying an additional 1,641 shares during the period. Finally, Mariner LLC increased its position in Costco Wholesale by 1.5% in the 3rd quarter. Mariner LLC now owns 399,894 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $370,140,000 after buying an additional 5,937 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco continues to show strong underlying demand, with May sales growth, high membership renewal rates, and faster-growing digital/e-commerce channels supporting the long-term growth story. How Investors May Respond To Costco (COST) Digital Momentum Amid Valuation Jitters And Macro Uncertainty
• Positive Sentiment: Costco lowered prices on some Kirkland Signature items, reinforcing its value proposition for inflation-conscious shoppers and potentially helping traffic and member loyalty. Why Weakness in Dividend-Paying Costco Stock Is a Strong Buying Opportunity
• Positive Sentiment: A new Costco gas station was approved in a Bay Area city, adding another potential traffic driver and incremental fuel-related sales opportunity. This Bay Area city approves new Costco gas station
• Neutral Sentiment: Citigroup initiated coverage with a neutral rating and a $1,020 price target, which is above the recent trading level but does not signal a strong near-term catalyst. Benzinga coverage of Citigroup initiation
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst commentary is divided, with one report noting that Costco shares fell after Citi and Bernstein issued conflicting views, adding to uncertainty around the stock’s premium valuation. Costco Stock (COST) Drops as Analysts Can’t Agree on the Big-Box Retailer
• Negative Sentiment: Several recent articles focus on whether Costco’s stock is too expensive near the $1,000 level, reflecting valuation jitters that can pressure shares when growth expectations are already high. Costco at $1,000: A Timeless Business, Is the Stock Still a Buy or a Bubble?

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 1.5%

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $951.45 on Friday. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $1,001.77 and its 200-day moving average price is $969.14. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,096.50. The stock has a market cap of $421.95 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.86, a PEG ratio of 4.68 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.07.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share (EPS) 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 28.04%. The business had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $4.28 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

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

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

COST has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Raymond James Financial increased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Mizuho set a $1,100.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,061.45.

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.