Fjarde AP Fonden Fourth Swedish National Pension Fund Acquires 68,110 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Fjarde AP Fonden Fourth Swedish National Pension Fund grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 59.5% during the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 182,526 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 68,110 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale comprises 1.0% of Fjarde AP Fonden Fourth Swedish National Pension Fund’s portfolio, making the stock its 17th biggest holding. Fjarde AP Fonden Fourth Swedish National Pension Fund’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $181,874,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in COST. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth about $31,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth about $33,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ COST opened at $951.67 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,096.50. The company has a fifty day moving average of $990.38 and a 200-day moving average of $972.57. The company has a market capitalization of $422.05 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.87, a P/E/G ratio of 4.61 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 released its earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 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 firm had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $4.28 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

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

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total value of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco is expanding its footprint with several new warehouse openings and planned locations across the U.S., which could support membership growth and future revenue. Costco to Open New Stores Across the U.S.: Full List of Locations
• Positive Sentiment: New store approvals in California and other regions suggest Costco’s growth runway remains intact, even if some local residents are pushing back. New Costco approved in California, but some locals say location is ‘unnecessary’
• Positive Sentiment: Costco began alcohol sales at a Pennsylvania store, another example of incremental in-store offerings that can increase traffic and basket size. Costco Wholesale begins alcohol sales at Pennsylvania store
• Neutral Sentiment: Articles on a possible special dividend and a potential stock split are mostly speculative; they may interest shareholders, but they do not appear to be the main near-term driver of the stock. Will Costco Pay a Special Dividend in 2026? Here’s What History Says.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts and commentators continue to debate Costco’s valuation, noting strong long-term returns but also that the stock looks expensive on earnings, which can cap upside. Costco (COST) Stock Looks Strong On Returns But Expensive On Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: One recent analysis said Costco’s growth engine may be losing momentum as lower fuel prices could reduce a key traffic driver and create execution risk for the stock. Costco’s secret growth engine may be running out of gas
• Negative Sentiment: Another report highlighted that Costco has underperformed the broader market over the past three months, reflecting investor concern about its premium valuation. Why Costco Stock (COST) Underperformed the S&P 500 Over the Past 3 Months

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have issued reports on the stock. Truist Financial increased 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 note on Friday, May 29th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted 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 research report on Thursday, April 9th. HC Wainwright reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. UBS Group boosted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 20th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus 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.