Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Stock Holdings Lifted by Ritholtz Wealth Management

Ritholtz Wealth Management increased its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 4.4% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 27,187 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 1,134 shares during the quarter. Ritholtz Wealth Management’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $24,749,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of COST. UNIVEST FINANCIAL Corp increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.8% in the 3rd quarter. UNIVEST FINANCIAL Corp now owns 17,987 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $16,374,000 after buying an additional 314 shares in the last quarter. NBH Bank raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 13.3% during the third quarter. NBH Bank now owns 750 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $683,000 after acquiring an additional 88 shares during the period. Granville Capital Inc. lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 18.3% in the third quarter. Granville Capital Inc. now owns 271 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $247,000 after acquiring an additional 42 shares in the last quarter. Joel Isaacson & Co. LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 6.4% in the third quarter. Joel Isaacson & Co. LLC now owns 8,655 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $7,879,000 after acquiring an additional 518 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 54.3% in the third quarter. Jefferies Financial Group Inc. now owns 84,382 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $76,816,000 after acquiring an additional 29,706 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $1,087.61 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 1.06. The company has a market cap 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 firm’s fifty day moving average is $960.23 and its two-hundred day moving average is $973.88. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, September 24th. The retailer reported $6.75 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.54 by $0.21. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.04% and a return on equity of 27.60%. The business had revenue of $95.72 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $94.97 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $5.87 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 11.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 22.70 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

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

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on COST shares. Guggenheim reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, September 28th. Tigress Financial lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,065.00 to $1,250.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 15th. TD Cowen assumed coverage on Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, October 30th. They issued a “strong-buy” rating on the stock. Argus restated a “buy” rating and issued a $1,230.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, September 28th. Finally, Truist Financial dropped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,011.00 to $955.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, September 25th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have issued a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,092.23.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In related news, 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 sale, the executive vice president directly owned 7,134 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,534,244.62. The trade was a 23.57% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 1,100 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $958.21, for a total value of $1,054,031.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 3,094 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,964,701.74. The trade was a 26.23% 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 insiders.

Latest Costco Wholesale News

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

Costco Wholesale Profile

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.