Assenagon Asset Management S.A. Has $627.05 Million Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Assenagon Asset Management S.A. raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 31.5% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 670,304 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 160,619 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale comprises 0.8% of Assenagon Asset Management S.A.’s holdings, making the stock its 16th largest position. Assenagon Asset Management S.A.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $627,049,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Diamant Asset Management Inc. increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 99,278.0% during the first quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. now owns 6,726,899 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $672,690,000 after acquiring an additional 6,720,130 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth about $5,195,415,000. Corient Private Wealth LLC lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 838.9% in the 4th quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 6,125,405 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $5,282,182,000 after acquiring an additional 5,472,968 shares in the last quarter. Cardano Risk Management B.V. lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 907.1% in the 4th quarter. Cardano Risk Management B.V. now owns 1,785,080 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,539,346,000 after acquiring an additional 1,607,833 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Amundi boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 45.0% during the 3rd quarter. Amundi now owns 3,176,606 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,893,697,000 after purchasing an additional 986,182 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have recently commented on COST. Sanford C. Bernstein increased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,192.00 to $1,194.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $1,175.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Bank of America lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,185.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Citigroup initiated coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $1,020.00 price target for the company. Finally, BTIG Research restated a “buy” rating and set a $1,125.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note 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 assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,059.53.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

COST stock opened at $949.15 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The firm has a market cap of $420.93 billion, a PE ratio of 47.74, a P/E/G ratio of 4.55 and a beta of 0.87. The business has a 50 day moving average of $950.68 and a 200-day moving average of $982.24. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.The business had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $4.28 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 24th will be given a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 29.58%.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the sale, the director directly owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Strong July sales support the investment case. Costco reported July net sales of $23.12 billion, up 10.7% year over year, while sales for the first 48 weeks of the fiscal year rose 10.1% to $273.55 billion. The results indicate continued customer traffic and spending momentum and are likely the main reason the stock has increased. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports July Sales Results
• Positive Sentiment: Comparable-store sales also improved in July. MarketWatch reported that Costco’s same-store sales increased, suggesting that growth was not driven solely by new warehouse openings. Broad-based comparable sales are generally viewed favorably because they indicate stronger underlying demand and member engagement. Costco Same-Store Sales Rise in July
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s brand strategy continues to attract attention. Lord & Taylor is reportedly pursuing a Costco-like model, including greater emphasis on private-label merchandise. The comparison highlights the strength of Costco’s Kirkland Signature brand and the competitive advantages of its membership and private-label ecosystem. Formerly bankrupt department store bets on Costco strategy
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts remain focused on valuation. A TipRanks review noted that COST has risen about 10% year to date while inflation remains a concern. Strong sales support earnings expectations, but the stock’s high earnings multiple leaves less room for disappointing results or slowing growth. Is Costco Stock Still a Good Buy After Its July Sales Report?
• Neutral Sentiment: Articles about student benefits, new groceries, and higher-income consumer spending provide lifestyle or industry context but do not materially change Costco’s earnings outlook. Costco Student Discount
• Negative Sentiment: A proposed tax-sharing agreement connected to a potential Costco and gas-station development has drawn opposition from local residents. The issue appears localized and is unlikely to affect Costco’s near-term financial results, but it could create permitting or reputational friction. Residents Oppose Tax-Sharing Agreement

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.