Mitchell Capital Management Co. Lowers Stock Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Mitchell Capital Management Co. trimmed its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 8.5% in the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 6,231 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 576 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale accounts for 1.0% of Mitchell Capital Management Co.’s holdings, making the stock its 29th largest position. Mitchell Capital Management Co.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $5,374,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of COST. Rockline Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 2.7% during the fourth quarter. Rockline Wealth Management LLC now owns 9,718 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $8,381,000 after purchasing an additional 253 shares during the last quarter. Parr Mcknight Wealth Management Group LLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.8% during the fourth quarter. Parr Mcknight Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 4,788 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $4,129,000 after purchasing an additional 85 shares during the last quarter. Verity & Verity LLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 64.4% during the fourth quarter. Verity & Verity LLC now owns 1,621 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,398,000 after purchasing an additional 635 shares during the last quarter. Essex Financial Services Inc. lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.8% during the fourth quarter. Essex Financial Services Inc. now owns 4,449 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $3,836,000 after purchasing an additional 34 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Core Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth approximately $156,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have commented on COST shares. Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,192.00 to $1,194.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday. Gordon Haskett lifted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Daiwa Securities Group lifted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 10th. UBS Group lifted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 20th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Twenty-one equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,056.32.

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 3.9%

NASDAQ:COST opened at $956.32 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $424.27 billion, a P/E ratio of 49.73, a PEG ratio of 4.71 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $1,007.80 and its 200-day simple moving average is $962.48. 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 released its earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.95 by ($0.02). The company had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $70.13 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $4.28 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.36 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st were issued a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is presently 30.58%.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco posted strong third-quarter results, with revenue of $70.53 billion topping estimates and same-store sales rising 9.8%, showing that members are still spending on essentials and value-focused purchases.
• Positive Sentiment: Gasoline sales were a standout, with Costco’s gas stations setting all-time or record volume levels as drivers sought lower-priced fuel amid elevated energy costs. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Digital growth and membership strength continued to support results, helping offset margin pressure and reinforcing Costco’s value-driven model.
• Positive Sentiment: Several Wall Street firms raised price targets or reiterated bullish ratings, including Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, Bernstein, BTIG, and Morgan Stanley, signaling confidence in Costco’s long-term fundamentals.
• Neutral Sentiment: DA Davidson reaffirmed a neutral rating with a $1,000 target, suggesting modest upside but not a strong catalyst for a re-rating.
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco said it will return U.S. tariff refunds to members “in some form,” which may help customer loyalty but does not yet provide a clear financial boost.
• Negative Sentiment: EPS of $4.93 missed consensus by a small margin, and investors appear focused on the earnings shortfall more than the sales beat.
• Negative Sentiment: Margin pressure from higher costs and a premium valuation have prompted some traders to sell after the report, limiting enthusiasm despite the strong top-line performance.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total value of $732,204.60. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

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.