Cane Capital Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST – Free Report) in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor purchased 1,855 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $1,600,000.
A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of COST. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1,586.8% in the 4th quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 1,137,436 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $980,857,000 after purchasing an additional 1,070,005 shares during the period. Amundi increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 45.0% in 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 period. Voloridge Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 112.2% in the 3rd quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC now owns 477,425 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $441,919,000 after purchasing an additional 252,453 shares during the period. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 638.7% in the 2nd quarter. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC now owns 227,310 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $225,023,000 after purchasing an additional 196,537 shares during the period. Finally, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 55.0% in the 2nd quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 490,871 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $485,933,000 after purchasing an additional 174,082 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale
In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred 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. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $939.00, for a total value of $1,408,500.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 44,837 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $42,101,943. This trade represents a 3.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 5,038 shares of company stock valued at $4,790,896. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
Analyst Ratings Changes
View Our Latest Analysis on Costco Wholesale
Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale
Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Costco has introduced a Kirkland Signature energy drink line that closely matches popular Celsius flavors at lower prices, expanding private‑label into a high‑growth category. This could boost margins, strengthen Costco’s buyer/supplier leverage, and keep member value high. Costco Tests Kirkland Energy Drinks And Supplier Power With Celsius Lookalike
- Positive Sentiment: Commentary highlights Costco as a rare inflation beneficiary: discounted gas and bulk pricing are driving stronger fuel sales and membership engagement, supporting top‑line resilience. That dynamic helps justify premium multiples if it continues. Costco: The Surprising Winner of Rising Gas Prices
- Positive Sentiment: Sector news: Sam’s Club announced a membership/fee change effective May 1, which could push price‑sensitive customers toward Costco and be a modest competitive tailwind. Dear Costco Stock Fans, Mark Your Calendars for May 1
- Positive Sentiment: New store openings (e.g., New Braunfels) continue Costco’s footprint expansion, supporting membership growth and steady unit expansion. Costco to open New Braunfels location this spring
- Neutral Sentiment: Industry moves — traditional grocers and suppliers (e.g., PepsiCo cutting snack prices) are adjusting strategies to close the value gap, which shifts competitive dynamics but doesn’t uniquely hurt Costco’s warehouse model. How traditional grocers are trying to narrow the ‘value gap’ with discount competitors PepsiCo Cuts Snack Prices Up To 15% After Doritos Jump Nearly 50%
- Negative Sentiment: Valuation and positioning concerns: multiple recent pieces question whether Costco’s premium valuation (strong YTD performance and high P/E) leaves limited upside and increases sensitivity to any slowdown. That narrative can pressure the share price despite solid fundamentals. Is It Too Late to Buy Costco or Merck? Are These Defensive Stocks Overbought? Costco Stock Deep Dive: Vibecession Winner Or Overpriced Recession Insurance
Costco Wholesale Stock Down 0.5%
Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $1,013.21 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $449.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 52.69, a PEG ratio of 5.01 and a beta of 0.99. 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 stock has a 50 day moving average price of $991.36 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $941.25. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,067.08.
Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The company’s revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $4.02 earnings per share. Equities analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current year.
Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement
The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 30th were issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 30th. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.5%. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is 27.04%.
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.
Further Reading
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