Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. Decreases Stock Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. cut its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 3.2% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,049,993 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 34,432 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale accounts for approximately 0.7% of Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its 22nd largest position. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. owned approximately 0.24% of Costco Wholesale worth $1,046,245,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth $27,000. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Lifetime Wealth Management P.C. bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth about $28,000. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth about $33,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco reported strong June sales of $29.24 billion, signaling continued momentum in its core business and supporting the stock’s defensive growth story. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports June Sales Results and Announces Quarterly Cash Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: William Blair reiterated a Buy rating, citing resilient traffic and Costco’s defensive positioning despite temporary headwinds, which adds to bullish sentiment around the shares. Analyst Maintains Buy on Costco, Citing Resilient Traffic and Defensive Positioning Despite Transient Headwinds
• Positive Sentiment: Costco also announced its quarterly cash dividend alongside the sales update, reinforcing its shareholder-return profile. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports June Sales Results and Announces Quarterly Cash Dividend
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader commentary about Costco as a blue-chip, quality retail name may be helping support investor interest, but it is not a direct company-specific catalyst. 3 Blue-Chip Retail Stocks to Trust as Volatility Favors Quality
• Negative Sentiment: A consumer lawsuit alleging Costco sold Orgain protein supplements contaminated with heavy metals could create some headline risk, though it appears less impactful than the strong sales news. Hagens Berman: Consumer Lawsuit Against Costco Alleges Toxic Heavy Metals in Orgain Protein Supplements

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 0.6%

COST stock opened at $953.13 on Thursday. 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 $986.93 and its two-hundred day moving average is $975.26. 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 $422.69 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.94, a P/E/G ratio of 4.59 and a beta of 0.88.

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

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 7th. Investors of record on Friday, July 24th will be issued a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 29.58%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have issued reports on COST. TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating and set a $1,175.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Wednesday, June 3rd. BTIG Research reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $1,125.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, May 29th. UBS Group boosted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 20th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Finally, Roth Capital raised their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,061.45.

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.