Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Acquired by Lazard Freres Gestion S.A.S.

Lazard Freres Gestion S.A.S. increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 36.5% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 115,633 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 30,933 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale makes up about 1.8% of Lazard Freres Gestion S.A.S.’s holdings, making the stock its 20th biggest position. Lazard Freres Gestion S.A.S.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $99,714,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of COST. Hurley Capital LLC increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares during the period. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. Joseph Group Capital Management acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at $34,000. Finally, Collier Financial acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at $35,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. Oppenheimer lifted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Raymond James Financial lifted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Citigroup reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, February 20th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,049.27.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the business’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 directly owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 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 raised its quarterly dividend by 13% to $1.47 per share, marking 22 straight years of dividend increases and signaling confidence in cash generation. This helped push shares to new highs. Where Will Costco Stock Be In 2028?
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts turned more constructive ahead of the company’s May 28 earnings report, with Oppenheimer lifting its price target to $1,160 after strong April sales and the dividend hike. Costco (COST) Stock Gains as Analysts Raise Price Targets Before Quarterly Report
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s April sales reinforced its defensive appeal, with 11.6% comparable sales growth and 18.8% digital sales growth as value-focused shoppers kept buying in bulk. Costco’s April Sales Reinforce Its Case as the Ultimate Defensive Stock
• Positive Sentiment: New food-court items, including chicken strips, are generating customer buzz and social media attention that may support traffic and membership loyalty. Forget chicken fingers, Costco quietly adds new food court item
• Neutral Sentiment: Several articles discuss whether Costco should split its stock now that shares are above $1,000, but management has not announced any split. Costco’s Stock Keeps Breaking the $1,000 Threshold — Don’t Expect a Stock Split

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $1,094.32 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $485.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 56.91, a PEG ratio of 5.30 and a beta of 0.92. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,096.50. The company’s fifty day moving average is $1,004.71 and its two-hundred day moving average is $957.59. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 1.06.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The business’s revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $4.02 EPS. Analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st were given a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is presently 30.58%.

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.