Deutsche Bank AG Grows Stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Deutsche Bank AG raised its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 25.7% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,414,746 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 289,497 shares during the period. Deutsche Bank AG’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $1,219,992,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Hurley Capital LLC grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth $31,000. Joseph Group Capital Management purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at $34,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco reported record demand for gasoline, which reinforces traffic and engagement at its warehouses and supports the company’s value proposition. Costco sees record demand for gas since Middle East war
• Positive Sentiment: Its digital sales jumped more than 21%, signaling continued momentum in e-commerce and omnichannel growth. Costco’s Digital Sales Jumped 21% and Gas Volumes Hit a Record. So Why Did COST Stock Drop 5%?
• Positive Sentiment: Costco also lowered prices on select Kirkland Signature products, a move that could strengthen member loyalty and help drive traffic as shoppers look for value. Costco lowers prices on four private-label products across food, home goods and sports equipment aisles
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data appears unreliable in the filing shown, so it does not provide a clear read on sentiment.
• Negative Sentiment: Despite the strong operational updates, investors appeared to focus on valuation and near-term stock weakness, with commentary noting the shares have been falling in recent weeks. Should You Buy Costco Wholesale Stock While It’s Below $1,000?

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 0.6%

COST stock opened at $968.59 on Wednesday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,096.50. The business’s 50-day moving average is $1,006.30 and its two-hundred day moving average is $965.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.07. The company has a market cap of $429.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.72, a P/E/G ratio of 4.72 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates 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 the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $4.28 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st were paid a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is 29.58%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts recently commented on the company. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $1,050.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 7th. Rothschild & Co Redburn increased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Citigroup reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised Costco Wholesale from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research report on Thursday, June 4th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,060.41.

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.