BLI Banque de Luxembourg Investments Lowers Stock Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

BLI Banque de Luxembourg Investments cut its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 23.7% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 7,100 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 2,200 shares during the period. BLI Banque de Luxembourg Investments’ holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $6,147,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.4% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 43,620,717 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $37,615,889,000 after purchasing an additional 165,349 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 10,388,519 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $8,919,573,000 after purchasing an additional 26,690 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth $5,195,415,000. Capital World Investors boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 2.0% during the 4th quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 3,937,286 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $3,395,301,000 after purchasing an additional 77,650 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 5.1% during the 4th quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 3,518,341 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $3,034,006,000 after purchasing an additional 170,979 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $974.75 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $432.28 billion, a PE ratio of 49.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.71 and a beta of 0.88. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $1,006.61 and its 200-day simple moving average is $964.91. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.07. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its 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). The company had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $4.28 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st were given a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is currently 29.58%.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco lowered prices on several Kirkland Signature/private-label items, including food, home goods, and sports equipment, signaling a continued focus on member value and traffic retention. Costco lowers prices on four private-label products across food, home goods and sports equipment aisles
• Positive Sentiment: Reports say Costco is cutting prices on popular Kirkland items, which could strengthen its value image versus competitors and help keep members shopping more often. Why Costco Just Voluntarily Lowered Prices on These Popular Kirkland Items
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s digital business showed strong momentum, with digital comps up sharply and app traffic rising, suggesting a bigger opportunity for online sales and personalization-driven growth. Costco’s Lowered Prices Show Why Shoppers Keep Returning
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts highlighted Costco’s digital surge as a sign the retailer may be becoming an even stronger omnichannel winner. Costco Leans On Kirkland Price Cuts To Support Growth Narrative
• Neutral Sentiment: Several lifestyle and shopping guides featured Costco products for summer and Fourth of July hosting, which adds visibility but is unlikely to materially move the stock. 9 Costco finds to host the best Fourth of July BBQ ever
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary about CEO Ron Vachris’s rise from the warehouse floor is largely narrative-driven and does not appear to change the near-term outlook. Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from the warehouse floor to the corner office without a college degree—and he says it’s thanks to not job hopping
• Negative Sentiment: One article noted Costco’s stock has been falling in recent weeks and is still below recent highs, reflecting some investor caution despite the operational positives. Should You Buy Costco Wholesale Stock While It’s Below $1,000?
• Negative Sentiment: Broader consumer commentary about $4 gas and inflation pressure could weigh on discretionary spending and keep investors cautious about margins and demand trends. Consumers look resilient on the surface, but $4 gas was a tipping point and Costco members are filling up more often in case prices go even higher

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

COST has been the subject of a number of research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target 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. Roth Mkm upped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Costco Wholesale from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research report on Thursday. Sanford C. Bernstein upped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,192.00 to $1,194.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,060.41.

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.