Fullerton Fund Management Co Ltd. Trims Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Fullerton Fund Management Co Ltd. lessened its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 61.7% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 959 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 1,548 shares during the quarter. Fullerton Fund Management Co Ltd.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $827,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of COST. Hurley Capital LLC raised its holdings in shares of 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 acquiring an additional 18 shares during the period. Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth $31,000. Joseph Group Capital Management purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth $33,000. Imprint Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth $36,000. Finally, eCIO Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth about $39,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts recently issued reports on the company. BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. BTIG Research reissued a “buy” rating and set a $1,125.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Rothschild & Co Redburn raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Finally, DA Davidson reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, June 4th. Twenty-two 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’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,060.41.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ COST opened at $986.68 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $437.57 billion, a P/E ratio of 49.63, a P/E/G ratio of 4.74 and a beta of 0.88. 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 stock has a 50-day moving average of $1,004.06 and a two-hundred day moving average of $968.46. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year 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 for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.94 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $4.28 earnings per share. As a group, analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

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

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks highlighted Costco’s growing traffic, stronger comparable sales, and gas-driven member engagement, reinforcing that its value proposition is still attracting shoppers. Costco’s Growing Traffic Shows the Power of Its Value Strategy
• Positive Sentiment: Another Zacks note said Costco screens well for earnings acceleration, pointing to rising EPS growth trends that can support further upside in the shares. Costco & 2 Earnings Acceleration Stocks to Watch for Solid Upside
• Positive Sentiment: Yahoo Finance and other commentary emphasized Costco’s record gasoline sales, e-commerce growth, wellness offerings, and ongoing store expansion, all of which reinforce the company’s long-term growth story. Costco Leans On Gasoline, E Commerce And Wellness To Deepen Member Value
• Positive Sentiment: Several articles framed Costco as a top long-term growth name and suggested the stock still has room to run if membership strength and comparable sales remain solid. Why Costco (COST) is a Top Growth Stock for the Long-Term
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco remains a heavily watched stock, with investor attention amplified by bullish price-target speculation and debate over whether the company can break above $1,100 over time. Can Costco Stock Break $1,100 by 2027?
• Negative Sentiment: Despite the constructive outlook, one market note said Costco was among retailers that fell even as lower oil prices could have helped consumers, showing the stock can still be pressured by broader rotation or lack of immediate catalyst. It Wasn’t a Strait of Hormuz Relief Rally, After All

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.