1,334 Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Sold by King Luther Capital Management Corp

King Luther Capital Management Corp trimmed its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 1.9% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 67,308 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 1,334 shares during the period. King Luther Capital Management Corp’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $61,273,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. State Street Corp lifted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 31.7% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 23,901,594 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $22,359,224,000 after acquiring an additional 5,749,362 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 11.5% in the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 7,515,031 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $7,488,203,000 after acquiring an additional 773,651 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 5.5% in the second quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 3,068,312 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,870,314,000 after acquiring an additional 160,893 shares during the last quarter. Amundi increased its position in Costco Wholesale by 11.1% in the first quarter. Amundi now owns 2,839,016 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,828,881,000 after purchasing an additional 283,360 shares during the period. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the second quarter worth about $2,362,188,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

Investors following COST have been watching these news items:

• Positive Sentiment: Costco declared a $30-per-share special cash dividend, totaling about $13.3 billion, payable December 4 to shareholders of record November 24. The payout signals strong cash generation and may support investor demand, though it is a one-time distribution. Costco dividend and repurchase announcement
• Neutral Sentiment: Some analysts view Costco’s membership-based, value-focused business as relatively defensive amid uncertainty, which may appeal to investors seeking resilience. Costco as a defensive investment
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation is a counterweight: Freedom Broker downgraded Costco from Buy to Hold, citing the stock’s valuation. Other commentary also warns that the premium price leaves limited room for disappointment, so the special dividend alone may not justify buying at current levels. Freedom Broker downgrade

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 1,100 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $958.21, for a total transaction of $1,054,031.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 3,094 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,964,701.74. This trade represents a 26.23% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,200 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $915.93, for a total value of $2,015,046.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 7,134 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,534,244.62. The trade was a 23.57% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have weighed in on COST shares. Freedom Broker cut Costco Wholesale from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $1,010.00 to $1,050.00 in a report on Tuesday. Raymond James Financial reduced their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,050.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, September 25th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $950.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Mizuho lowered their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,065.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Costco Wholesale from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 4th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have issued a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,092.23.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 2.0%

NASDAQ:COST opened at $1,087.61 on Thursday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,096.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11. The firm has a market capitalization of $481.95 billion, a P/E ratio of 52.39, a P/E/G ratio of 4.71 and a beta of 0.85. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $960.23 and its 200-day simple moving average is $973.88.

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

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a special dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 4th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, November 24th will be paid a $30.00 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, November 24th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is presently 28.32%.

About Costco Wholesale

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.