Van Lanschot Kempen Investment Management N.V. Buys 10,622 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Van Lanschot Kempen Investment Management N.V. raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 103.0% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 20,934 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 10,622 shares during the period. Van Lanschot Kempen Investment Management N.V.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $18,052,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in COST. Hurley Capital LLC boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares during the period. Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth about $31,000. Joseph Group Capital Management purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth about $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter worth about $34,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter worth about $36,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 0.7%

Shares of COST stock opened at $982.35 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,096.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.61. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $1,005.34 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $966.74. The company has a market cap of $435.65 billion, a PE ratio of 49.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.73 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share (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 company had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $4.28 earnings per share. Research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

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

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Erste Group Bank lifted its FY2026 and FY2027 earnings forecasts for Costco, signaling expectations for stronger profitability ahead.
• Positive Sentiment: Commentary in 24/7 Wall St. emphasized Costco’s membership-fee model as a resilient source of recurring revenue that can support long-term earnings growth.
• Positive Sentiment: Barchart coverage noted Costco as one of the retail names rewarding shareholders with a higher dividend, reinforcing the company’s capital-return appeal.
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage that Costco offers shopping without a membership in limited cases is mainly informational and not likely to materially affect the stock.
• Neutral Sentiment: The Iowa court decision involving a former Costco manager appears to be a legal headline with limited direct impact on the company’s overall financial outlook.
• Negative Sentiment: Bloomberg reported rising plastic input costs may lead to higher prices for consumer goods later this year, which could add inflation pressure to Costco’s retail environment and potentially squeeze margins or demand.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on COST shares. Daiwa Securities Group boosted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on 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. Truist Financial boosted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Raymond James Financial boosted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,060.41.

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.