Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund Raises Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 80.5% in the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 446,187 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 198,949 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale comprises about 0.7% of Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund’s portfolio, making the stock its 26th biggest position. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $444,594,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Bollard Group LLC increased its position in Costco Wholesale by 1.4% during the 1st quarter. Bollard Group LLC now owns 4,016 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $4,002,000 after buying an additional 56 shares in the last quarter. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 5.8% in the first quarter. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL now owns 6,901 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $6,876,000 after buying an additional 381 shares during the last quarter. Morningstar Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 56.9% in the first quarter. Morningstar Investment Management LLC now owns 1,754 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,748,000 after acquiring an additional 636 shares in the last quarter. GC Wealth Management RIA LLC boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.2% in the first quarter. GC Wealth Management RIA LLC now owns 12,063 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $12,020,000 after acquiring an additional 144 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Compound Planning Inc. grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 20.9% during the first quarter. Compound Planning Inc. now owns 11,763 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $11,721,000 after acquiring an additional 2,031 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the sale, the director directly owned 4,779 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. This trade represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $935.03 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,096.50. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $965.91 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $979.93. The stock has a market cap of $414.67 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.03, a PEG ratio of 4.48 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.94 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations 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 last year, the company earned $4.28 earnings per share. As a group, analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th will be 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 is Friday, July 24th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is presently 29.58%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

COST has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Bank of America upped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. BTIG Research restated a “buy” rating and set a $1,125.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, May 29th. UBS Group raised their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 20th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,110.00 to $1,100.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, July 9th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,059.07.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Record demand for Costco Gas is driving more store visits, which can support merchandise sales and membership renewals by increasing overall customer traffic. Costco Gas Demand Hits Record as Low Prices Drive Member Visits
• Positive Sentiment: Costco was highlighted as a stock that can hold up if inflation stays elevated, with its membership model and scale seen as a defensive advantage for investors. 2 Stocks Built to Thrive If Inflation Refuses to Fade (COST)
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts continue to view Costco favorably overall, with the company reported to have a “Moderate Buy” consensus recommendation. Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) Receives Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts
• Neutral Sentiment: Some shoppers may be eligible for cash from Costco’s $14 million settlement in Washington, which is a consumer-relations issue but does not appear large enough to materially change the investment case. Some Costco shoppers could qualify for cash in settlement payout
• Neutral Sentiment: Short interest data showed 0 shares reported, offering no meaningful new signal on trading pressure or sentiment.

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.