Russell Investments Group Ltd. Purchases 50,022 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Russell Investments Group Ltd. boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 12.9% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 436,771 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 50,022 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale accounts for approximately 0.4% of Russell Investments Group Ltd.’s portfolio, making the stock its 24th largest holding. Russell Investments Group Ltd.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $376,788,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of COST. Palisade Asset Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.4% during the 4th quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC now owns 702 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $605,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. now owns 3,194 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,754,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Lbmc Investment Advisors LLC raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.5% during the fourth quarter. Lbmc Investment Advisors LLC now owns 2,041 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,760,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Somerset Group LLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% during the third quarter. Somerset Group LLC now owns 4,220 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $3,906,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Hughes Financial Services LLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 4.3% during the third quarter. Hughes Financial Services LLC now owns 268 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $245,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 0.7%

Shares of COST stock opened at $986.68 on Wednesday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,096.50. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $1,004.06 and its 200 day simple moving average is $968.46. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The firm has a market capitalization of $437.57 billion, a P/E ratio of 49.63, a P/E/G ratio of 4.74 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate 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 quarter in the prior year, the business posted $4.28 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

COST has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. HC Wainwright restated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Bank of America raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $1,050.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,060.41.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks highlighted Costco’s growing traffic, stronger comparable sales, and gas-driven member engagement, reinforcing that its value proposition is still attracting shoppers. Costco’s Growing Traffic Shows the Power of Its Value Strategy
• Positive Sentiment: Another Zacks note said Costco screens well for earnings acceleration, pointing to rising EPS growth trends that can support further upside in the shares. Costco & 2 Earnings Acceleration Stocks to Watch for Solid Upside
• Positive Sentiment: Yahoo Finance and other commentary emphasized Costco’s record gasoline sales, e-commerce growth, wellness offerings, and ongoing store expansion, all of which reinforce the company’s long-term growth story. Costco Leans On Gasoline, E Commerce And Wellness To Deepen Member Value
• Positive Sentiment: Several articles framed Costco as a top long-term growth name and suggested the stock still has room to run if membership strength and comparable sales remain solid. Why Costco (COST) is a Top Growth Stock for the Long-Term
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco remains a heavily watched stock, with investor attention amplified by bullish price-target speculation and debate over whether the company can break above $1,100 over time. Can Costco Stock Break $1,100 by 2027?
• Negative Sentiment: Despite the constructive outlook, one market note said Costco was among retailers that fell even as lower oil prices could have helped consumers, showing the stock can still be pressured by broader rotation or lack of immediate catalyst. It Wasn’t a Strait of Hormuz Relief Rally, After All

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.