Metis Global Partners LLC Reduces Stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Metis Global Partners LLC decreased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 6.1% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 19,007 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 1,224 shares during the period. Metis Global Partners LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $16,390,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Hurley Capital LLC lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at about $34,000. Joseph Group Capital Management purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $33,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at about $36,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Jim Cramer said investors “buy some here,” reinforcing a bullish view on Costco as a long-term holding despite a tougher consumer backdrop. Article title
• Positive Sentiment: Costco reported strong May net sales growth, including a 14.5% year-over-year increase, and one article noted digital sales jumped 21% while gas volumes hit a record, signaling healthy demand across key categories. Article title
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage highlighted Costco’s continued membership and traffic strength, with analysts and commentators pointing to upside and strong institutional interest in the stock. Article title
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco is also drawing attention for ESG and governance reasons after CEO Ron Vachris was recognized for board diversity leadership, which may matter to some investors but is not an immediate earnings driver. Article title
• Negative Sentiment: Costco is fighting a class-action lawsuit over its $5 rotisserie chicken, with plaintiffs alleging misleading “no preservatives” marketing, creating a potential reputational and legal overhang. Article title
• Negative Sentiment: Some commentary also suggests Costco may face tougher comparisons in a price-sensitive consumer environment, with rivals like Dollar Tree seen as having a pricing advantage on smaller-pack items. Article title

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $983.37 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The firm has a market capitalization of $436.10 billion, a PE ratio of 49.47, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.69 and a beta of 0.88. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $1,006.04 and its 200-day moving average price is $966.09. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last posted 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 return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.The company had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $4.28 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st were given a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is 29.58%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have weighed in on COST shares. Weiss Ratings raised Costco Wholesale from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Thursday, June 4th. HC Wainwright reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. Sanford C. Bernstein raised their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,192.00 to $1,194.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Mizuho set a $1,100.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,060.41.

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.