Generali Asset Management SPA SGR Trims Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Generali Asset Management SPA SGR cut its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 15.5% in the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 21,266 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 3,907 shares during the quarter. Generali Asset Management SPA SGR’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $18,339,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Hurley Capital LLC boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during 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. Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth $34,000. Collier Financial bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: April sales beat expectations — Costco reported April net sales up ~13% year-over-year and positive comparable-store growth, a result analysts say shows resilient demand and helped lift the stock. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Gas prices provided a near-term revenue boost — commentary and coverage attribute part of April’s sales gain to higher gasoline prices, which lift fuel revenue and store traffic. This is being cited as a key reason for the stock’s uptick. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support remains intact — Deutsche Bank nudged its price target higher and kept a Buy rating; Bank of America reiterated Buy and a high price target after the April results, which can sustain investor confidence. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Longer-term growth narrative highlighted — bullish commentary and price‑target pieces point to membership and digital-sales momentum as catalysts that could support further upside over the next 12 months. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Operational/customer experience tweaks — Costco is rolling changes (self-checkout adjustments industry-wide, bakery improvements) that may modestly affect store throughput and satisfaction but are unlikely to move the stock materially on their own. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Marketing and in-store activity — initiatives like GEN Korean BBQ roadshows and new gas-station openings support foot traffic and product discovery, incremental positives for sales execution. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Competitive pressure — BJ’s Wholesale is expanding in North Texas, intensifying local competition versus Costco and Sam’s Club; investors should watch share dynamics in key markets. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Industry headwinds flagged — Moody’s and other coverage note a tougher retail backdrop and muted consumer demand in 2026, which could pressure comps if the macro trend weakens. Read More.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on COST shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,110.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, April 17th. Mizuho upped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,065.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 16th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of 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. Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group upped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,046.03.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $1,012.06 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $449.00 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.63, a PEG ratio of 4.91 and a beta of 0.92. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $998.03 and its 200 day moving average is $951.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,067.08.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. Costco Wholesale’s revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $4.02 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st will be paid a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 1st. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is currently 30.58%.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

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.