Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. Sells 34,432 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. decreased its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 3.2% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,049,993 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 34,432 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale makes up 0.7% of Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc.’s portfolio, making the stock its 22nd biggest holding. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $1,046,245,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Palisade Asset Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.4% during the 4th quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC now owns 702 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $605,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares during the period. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% during the 4th quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. now owns 3,194 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,754,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares during the period. Wealth Effects LLC raised its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.2% during the 1st quarter. Wealth Effects LLC now owns 874 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $871,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares during the period. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.8% during the first quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. now owns 551 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $549,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Lbmc Investment Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 0.5% during the fourth quarter. Lbmc Investment Advisors LLC now owns 2,041 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,760,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on COST. DA Davidson reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, June 4th. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Costco Wholesale from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 23rd. Oppenheimer lifted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 19th. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $1,175.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Finally, Mizuho set a $1,100.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,061.45.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco reported strong June sales of $29.24 billion, signaling continued momentum in its core business and supporting the stock’s defensive growth story. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports June Sales Results and Announces Quarterly Cash Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: William Blair reiterated a Buy rating, citing resilient traffic and Costco’s defensive positioning despite temporary headwinds, which adds to bullish sentiment around the shares. Analyst Maintains Buy on Costco, Citing Resilient Traffic and Defensive Positioning Despite Transient Headwinds
• Positive Sentiment: Costco also announced its quarterly cash dividend alongside the sales update, reinforcing its shareholder-return profile. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports June Sales Results and Announces Quarterly Cash Dividend
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader commentary about Costco as a blue-chip, quality retail name may be helping support investor interest, but it is not a direct company-specific catalyst. 3 Blue-Chip Retail Stocks to Trust as Volatility Favors Quality
• Negative Sentiment: A consumer lawsuit alleging Costco sold Orgain protein supplements contaminated with heavy metals could create some headline risk, though it appears less impactful than the strong sales news. Hagens Berman: Consumer Lawsuit Against Costco Alleges Toxic Heavy Metals in Orgain Protein Supplements

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 0.6%

COST stock opened at $953.13 on Thursday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,096.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.61. The company has a market capitalization of $422.69 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.94, a PEG ratio of 4.59 and a beta of 0.88. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $986.93 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $975.26.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings data 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 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 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

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

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction 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 sale, the director directly owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

About Costco Wholesale

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.