McLaughlin Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST – Free Report) in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor purchased 598 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $516,000.
Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in COST. Bauman Advisory Group LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth about $1,065,000. White Knight Strategic Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 35.2% during the 4th quarter. White Knight Strategic Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 880 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $759,000 after purchasing an additional 229 shares during the last quarter. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Hamilton Wealth LLC grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 5.9% in the 4th quarter. Hamilton Wealth LLC now owns 611 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $527,000 after buying an additional 34 shares during the last quarter. Finally, T. Rowe Price Investment Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $1,510,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
A number of research analysts have recently commented on the company. Guggenheim reiterated a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. DA Davidson restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, June 4th. Truist Financial boosted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. HC Wainwright reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Twenty-two research 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. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,061.45.
Costco Wholesale Trading Down 1.5%
Costco Wholesale stock opened at $951.45 on Friday. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $1,001.77 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $969.14. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 1.07 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 stock has a market cap of $421.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.68 and a beta of 0.88.
Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST – Get Free Report) last announced 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 firm had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $4.28 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast 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. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st were given a $1.47 dividend. 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 (DPR) is 29.58%.
More 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 Company 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.
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