Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Purchased by Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich

Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 32.7% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 505,645 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 124,551 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale comprises 1.2% of Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich’s portfolio, making the stock its 16th largest position. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $436,237,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. increased its position in Costco Wholesale by 371.6% during the fourth quarter. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. now owns 1,792 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,545,000 after purchasing an additional 1,412 shares during the last quarter. Western Wealth Management LLC increased its position in Costco Wholesale by 2.5% during the fourth quarter. Western Wealth Management LLC now owns 15,862 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $13,678,000 after purchasing an additional 383 shares during the last quarter. Allworth Financial LP increased its position in Costco Wholesale by 12.5% during the fourth quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 68,264 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $58,867,000 after purchasing an additional 7,581 shares during the last quarter. SFE Investment Counsel increased its position in Costco Wholesale by 6.0% during the fourth quarter. SFE Investment Counsel now owns 11,200 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $9,659,000 after purchasing an additional 633 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Castle Rock Wealth Management LLC increased its position in Costco Wholesale by 3.0% during the fourth quarter. Castle Rock Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,624 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $3,125,000 after purchasing an additional 104 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

COST opened at $1,033.08 on Thursday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $999.39 and a 200 day simple moving average of $953.63. The firm has a market cap of $458.33 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 53.72, a PEG ratio of 5.03 and a beta of 0.92. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,067.08. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The business’s revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $4.02 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st will be issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 1st. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 30.58%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

COST has been the subject of several research analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,110.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, April 17th. Oppenheimer upped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $1,050.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Rothschild & Co Redburn increased their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Finally, Roth Mkm reissued a “sell” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned 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 an average price target of $1,047.27.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: TD Cowen’s bullish take after a headquarters visit suggested Costco still has room to grow, while noting the company’s biggest risk is complacency rather than weakening demand. ‘Costco’s (COST) Biggest Risk Is Being Complacent,’ Analyst Says After HQ Visit
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s April sales strength and accelerating e-commerce business were highlighted as evidence that momentum remains solid, which could support revenue expectations going forward. Should Investors Buy Costco Stock Now After Strong April Retail Sales?
• Positive Sentiment: Costco acquired a 55-acre site in Fort Myers, a move that signals continued physical expansion and long-term growth potential. Costco Acquires 55-Acre Site in Fort Myers, Marking One of Southwest Florida’s Largest and Highest-Value Land Sales
• Neutral Sentiment: Several market commentaries compared Costco with Walmart and other retailers, but the main takeaway was that Costco still looks like a quality operator even as valuation remains rich. Walmart vs Costco Wholesale: Which Retail Stock Is the Better Buy Right Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: Stories about a redesigned gas station in California and a new Costco-linked retail purchase order for GEN Korean BBQ point to Costco’s broad ecosystem, but they are unlikely to move the stock on their own. California Costco plans to demolish its gas station — and reveals plans for brand new facility GEN Korean BBQ Secures Its First Direct Southern California and Hawaii Regional Costco Purchase Order
• Negative Sentiment: Some articles focused on Costco’s elevated valuation and suggested investors may want to wait or even trim positions, reflecting concern that expectations are already high. Is It Time to Sell Costco Stock? Costco At $1,000: Buy, Sell or Hold?

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.