CenterBook Partners LP Acquires 16,417 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

CenterBook Partners LP bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund bought 16,417 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $14,945,000. Costco Wholesale comprises approximately 0.7% of CenterBook Partners LP’s portfolio, making the stock its 23rd biggest position.

Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in COST. Contravisory Investment Management Inc. lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 107.7% during the 3rd quarter. Contravisory Investment Management Inc. now owns 27 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 14 shares during the period. C M Bidwell & Associates Ltd. bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the second quarter valued at about $28,000. Burk Holdings LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale in the second quarter valued at about $30,000. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth about $30,000. Finally, John Boyer Inc. acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,200 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $915.93, for a total value of $2,015,046.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 7,134 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,534,244.62. This represents a 23.57% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 1,100 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $958.21, for a total value of $1,054,031.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 3,094 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,964,701.74. This trade represents a 26.23% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco reported October net sales of $24.50 billion, up 12.6% year over year. U.S. comparable sales rose 8.1% excluding gasoline-price changes, while digital growth also accelerated—evidence of continued customer demand. Costco’s October Net Sales Jump 12.6% as Digital Growth Accelerates
• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan raised its price target to $1,150 from $1,015 and maintained an overweight rating. Bank of America also kept its buy rating following the stronger U.S. comparable-sales results. JPMorgan price-target update Costco retains BofA buy as October U.S. comps rise
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent coverage points to solid share-price momentum, supported by a string of earnings beats, but investors may be watching whether earnings growth can justify the stock’s valuation. Costco Stock: Earnings Growth Could Shape the Next Big Move
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation remains a key risk: reports cite a trailing P/E near 49, leaving limited room for disappointment, while earnings revisions have raised concerns. Citi maintained a hold rating with a $1,020 target, reflecting a more cautious view than JPMorgan’s. Costco Stock: Why Analysts Are Split Despite Strong October Sales

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 1.1%

Costco Wholesale stock traded down $12.03 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $1,053.56. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 2,513,062 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,207,412. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 1.06. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,096.50. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $952.42 and its 200 day simple moving average is $972.49. The company has a market capitalization of $466.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 50.75, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.45 and a beta of 0.85.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its earnings results on Thursday, September 24th. The retailer reported $6.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.54 by $0.21. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 27.60% and a net margin of 3.04%. The business had revenue of $95.72 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $94.97 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $5.87 earnings per share. Costco Wholesale’s quarterly revenue was up 11.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 22.70 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, October 30th will be paid a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, October 30th. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is currently 28.32%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. BMO Capital Markets reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, September 25th. CICC Research started coverage on Costco Wholesale in a report on Wednesday, October 21st. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $1,050.00 price target for the company. Bank of America dropped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,200.00 to $1,095.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, September 16th. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,130.00 to $1,100.00 in a research note on Friday, September 25th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $1,175.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, September 25th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-four have issued a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,090.55.

Costco Wholesale Company Profile

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates membership-based warehouse clubs that offer a broad selection of merchandise at generally low prices. Its products include groceries, fresh foods, appliances, electronics, apparel, furniture, and household goods, as well as its Kirkland Signature private-label line.

The company also provides services such as gasoline stations, pharmacies, optical and hearing-aid centers, food courts, and travel offerings. Costco serves members through warehouses and online channels.

Founded in 1983 in Seattle, Costco has expanded across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.