Bessemer Group Inc. Reduces Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Bessemer Group Inc. lessened its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 21.0% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 593,588 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 157,803 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale makes up approximately 0.8% of Bessemer Group Inc.’s portfolio, making the stock its 16th biggest position. Bessemer Group Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $511,876,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in COST. Hurley Capital LLC boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares during the period. Joseph Group Capital Management purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Collier Financial purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

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

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $1,041.25 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The company has a market cap of $461.95 billion, a PE ratio of 54.15, a P/E/G ratio of 5.09 and a beta of 0.92. The business has a 50 day moving average of $1,000.06 and a 200 day moving average of $954.40. 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 announced its earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $4.02 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.32 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

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

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco acquired a 55-acre site in Fort Myers, Florida, signaling room for a major new warehouse or related retail development and supporting its expansion strategy. Costco Acquires 55-Acre Site in Fort Myers, Marking One of Southwest Florida’s Largest and Highest-Value Land Sales
• Positive Sentiment: New commentary highlighted Costco’s strong membership economics, noting 82.1 million paid memberships and an 89.7% global renewal rate, which suggests resilient recurring revenue even as inflation pressures households. Inflation Just Hit 3.8% and Nine Out of Ten Costco Members Re-Up Every Year. Here Is Why That Math Matters.
• Positive Sentiment: Additional bullish coverage emphasized Costco’s durable business model and continued store-growth potential, reinforcing investor confidence in the company’s long-term earnings power. Costco Just Signed Off on a Massive Retail Real Estate Deal in Florida. Here’s What Investors Need to Know About Costco’s Store Growth Goals.
• Neutral Sentiment: One analyst note argued Costco remains a strong company but is still trading at a premium valuation, which may temper enthusiasm even with solid fundamentals. Costco: Strong Fundamentals Meet Growth Premium – A Hold Entering FQ3’26
• Negative Sentiment: Another Seeking Alpha piece raised a bearish view on Costco, suggesting valuation remains a reason to sell despite the company’s operational strength. Costco: Another Reason To Sell (Besides The Valuation)

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

COST has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Rothschild & Co Redburn increased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 17th. Evercore set a $1,100.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Bank of America started coverage on Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, February 27th. They set a “buy” rating and a $1,185.00 target price for the company. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and set a $1,050.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,047.27.

Costco Wholesale 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.