Epoch Investment Partners Inc. Has $131.05 Million Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Epoch Investment Partners Inc. reduced its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 14.3% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 131,518 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 21,895 shares during the period. Epoch Investment Partners Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $131,048,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

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

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

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

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Record demand for Costco Gas is driving more store visits, which can support merchandise sales and membership renewals by increasing overall customer traffic. Costco Gas Demand Hits Record as Low Prices Drive Member Visits
• Positive Sentiment: Costco was highlighted as a stock that can hold up if inflation stays elevated, with its membership model and scale seen as a defensive advantage for investors. 2 Stocks Built to Thrive If Inflation Refuses to Fade (COST)
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts continue to view Costco favorably overall, with the company reported to have a “Moderate Buy” consensus recommendation. Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) Receives Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts
• Neutral Sentiment: Some shoppers may be eligible for cash from Costco’s $14 million settlement in Washington, which is a consumer-relations issue but does not appear large enough to materially change the investment case. Some Costco shoppers could qualify for cash in settlement payout
• Neutral Sentiment: Short interest data showed 0 shares reported, offering no meaningful new signal on trading pressure or sentiment.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on COST shares. UBS Group upped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 20th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Roth Capital boosted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Telsey Advisory Group upped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Finally, DA Davidson reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, June 4th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,059.07.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 1.0%

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $935.03 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $414.67 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.03, a P/E/G ratio of 4.48 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 0.61. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,096.50. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $965.91 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $979.93.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.94 by ($0.01). The business 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 period in the prior year, the business posted $4.28 earnings per share. As a group, analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

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

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.