Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Position Increased by USS Investment Management Ltd

USS Investment Management Ltd increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 2.2% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 71,888 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 1,539 shares during the quarter. USS Investment Management Ltd’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $71,625,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. IFM Investors Pty Ltd grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 2.2% in the 1st quarter. IFM Investors Pty Ltd now owns 85,971 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $85,664,000 after purchasing an additional 1,842 shares during the last quarter. Rexford Capital Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 9.1% during the first quarter. Rexford Capital Inc. now owns 370 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $369,000 after buying an additional 31 shares during the last quarter. Severin Investments LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the first quarter valued at approximately $659,000. Bayban boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 42.0% during the first quarter. Bayban now owns 571 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $569,000 after buying an additional 169 shares during the period. Finally, Key Financial Inc grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 16.0% in the 1st quarter. Key Financial Inc now owns 834 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $831,000 after buying an additional 115 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts recently commented on the company. TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating and issued a $1,175.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Oppenheimer increased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 19th. Weiss Ratings lowered Costco Wholesale from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Tuesday, June 23rd. Raymond James Financial lifted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Finally, HC Wainwright reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. 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 company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,061.45.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total value of $847,343.25. Following the transaction, the director owned 4,779 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 1.2%

COST opened at $924.67 on Thursday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,096.50. 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 stock’s fifty day moving average is $992.50 and its 200-day moving average is $972.25. The company has a market capitalization of $410.07 billion, a PE ratio of 46.51, a P/E/G ratio of 4.53 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.94 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $4.28 EPS. On average, equities 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. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st were given a dividend of $1.47 per share. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is 29.58%.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts see Costco’s large cash position, low debt, and steady membership-fee stream as advantages that could help it keep investing through retail headwinds and support future growth. Can Costco Outgrow Retail Headwinds on Balance Sheet Strength?
• Positive Sentiment: Commentary also highlighted stronger executive membership penetration, which can boost higher-margin fee income and improve Costco’s sales mix, with additional growth potential from China expansion. Costco’s Executive Penetration Could Unlock More Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Erste Group Bank raised its FY2027 earnings estimate for Costco, signaling continued confidence in the company’s earnings power beyond the current fiscal year. Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST)
• Positive Sentiment: Articles focused on Costco’s growing footprint, including new Texas warehouse openings, reinforcing the company’s steady unit expansion and brand strength with consumers. Costco cashes in on 2 new Texas warehouses opening this summer. Here’s where
• Neutral Sentiment: Several recent consumer-focused articles and opinion pieces about Costco products and shopping habits are not likely to move the stock much on their own. 7 Costco finds that help you save on warm-weather essentials
• Neutral Sentiment: One recent bullish article argued Costco can generate long-term passive income and capital appreciation, but this is more a thesis piece than a new catalyst. Want $3,000 in Annual Passive Income? Invest $146,000 in Costco in July and Wait 10 Years.
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple recent write-ups warn that Costco’s valuation is expensive, with some analysts saying the stock’s strong multi-year run has left limited upside unless growth accelerates further. Costco (COST) Stock Looks Strong On Returns But Expensive On Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Bearish commentary also suggested Costco may have more downside if investors keep focusing on slowing growth versus its premium earnings multiple. Costco Stock: More Pain To Come

Costco Wholesale Company 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.