Virtu Financial LLC Sells 2,895 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Virtu Financial LLC decreased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 24.2% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 9,058 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 2,895 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale accounts for 0.3% of Virtu Financial LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 18th largest holding. Virtu Financial LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $7,810,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Hurley Capital LLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 1.5%

Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $951.45 on Friday. 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 Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,096.50. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $1,001.77 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $969.14. The firm has a market cap of $421.95 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.86, a PEG ratio of 4.68 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings data 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 for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $4.28 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast 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. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st were issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is currently 29.58%.

Key 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?

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have weighed in on the stock. Citigroup started coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday. They set a “neutral” rating and a $1,020.00 target price on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,110.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, April 17th. Mizuho set a $1,100.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Finally, Bank of America upped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale 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.