Pacer Advisors Inc. Boosts Stock Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Pacer Advisors Inc. grew its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 11.1% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 74,067 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 7,380 shares during the period. Pacer Advisors Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $63,871,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of COST. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Hurley Capital LLC increased 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 acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth $31,000. Joseph Group Capital Management purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth $33,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 1.5%

COST stock opened at $951.45 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $421.95 billion, a PE ratio of 47.86, a P/E/G ratio of 4.68 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.07. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $1,001.77 and its 200 day moving average is $969.14. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.The firm had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $4.28 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

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

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

COST has been the topic of several recent research reports. Daiwa Securities Group upped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 10th. Roth Mkm lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Evercore set a $1,100.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Raymond James Financial upped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Truist Financial raised their target price on Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,061.45.

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.