Hilltop Holdings Inc. Has $4.12 Million Stock Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Hilltop Holdings Inc. lowered its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 41.6% during the first quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 4,134 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 2,944 shares during the period. Hilltop Holdings Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $4,119,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Morningstar Investment Management LLC grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 56.9% during the 1st quarter. Morningstar Investment Management LLC now owns 1,754 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,748,000 after buying an additional 636 shares during the period. GC Wealth Management RIA LLC lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.2% in the first quarter. GC Wealth Management RIA LLC now owns 12,063 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $12,020,000 after buying an additional 144 shares during the period. Compound Planning Inc. boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 20.9% in the first quarter. Compound Planning Inc. now owns 11,763 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $11,721,000 after acquiring an additional 2,031 shares during the last quarter. Klingman & Associates LLC boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 3.0% in the first quarter. Klingman & Associates LLC now owns 3,418 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,406,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Modern Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 5.8% during the 1st quarter. Modern Wealth Management LLC now owns 12,424 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $12,382,000 after acquiring an additional 686 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total value of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 4,779 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 1.0%

COST opened at $935.03 on Friday. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $965.91 and its two-hundred day moving average is $979.93. The firm has a market cap of $414.67 billion, a PE ratio of 47.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.48 and a beta of 0.88. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month 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.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share (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 during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $70.12 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $4.28 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th will be issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is currently 29.58%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have commented on the stock. Truist Financial upped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. UBS Group lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 20th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Finally, TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating and set a $1,175.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,059.07.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Record demand for Costco Gas is driving more store visits, which can support merchandise sales and membership renewals by increasing overall customer traffic. Costco Gas Demand Hits Record as Low Prices Drive Member Visits
• Positive Sentiment: Costco was highlighted as a stock that can hold up if inflation stays elevated, with its membership model and scale seen as a defensive advantage for investors. 2 Stocks Built to Thrive If Inflation Refuses to Fade (COST)
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts continue to view Costco favorably overall, with the company reported to have a “Moderate Buy” consensus recommendation. Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) Receives Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts
• Neutral Sentiment: Some shoppers may be eligible for cash from Costco’s $14 million settlement in Washington, which is a consumer-relations issue but does not appear large enough to materially change the investment case. Some Costco shoppers could qualify for cash in settlement payout
• Neutral Sentiment: Short interest data showed 0 shares reported, offering no meaningful new signal on trading pressure or sentiment.

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.