Investment Management Corp of Ontario Has $36.10 Million Stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Investment Management Corp of Ontario grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 69.6% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 41,857 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 17,181 shares during the quarter. Investment Management Corp of Ontario’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $36,095,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in COST. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at about $5,195,415,000. Cardano Risk Management B.V. lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 907.1% during 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 buying an additional 1,607,833 shares during the last quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1,586.8% during 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 buying an additional 1,070,005 shares during the last quarter. Amundi lifted its holdings in shares of 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 buying an additional 986,182 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Vestor Capital LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 20,936.6% during the 4th quarter. Vestor Capital LLC now owns 970,840 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $837,194,000 after buying an additional 966,225 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 2.1%

COST opened at $965.59 on Thursday. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $1,003.00 and a 200 day moving average price of $968.87. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,096.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.07. The firm has a market cap of $428.22 billion, a P/E ratio of 48.57, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.78 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 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 the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $4.28 earnings per share. Research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st were given a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 29.58%.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market commentary pointed to Costco’s rising traffic, strong comparable sales, and gas-related member engagement as evidence that its value proposition continues to drive repeat visits and support growth. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Costco was included in a list of earnings-acceleration stocks, with commentary noting rising EPS growth trends that can precede stronger share performance. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: A separate article argued that Costco remains a durable long-term “buy and hold” business because of its loyal customer base and membership-driven model. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Several lifestyle pieces mentioned Costco shopping habits and product preferences, but these articles are not likely to materially affect the stock. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary comparing Costco with Walmart and asking whether the stock can break $1,100 by 2027 mainly reflects valuation debate rather than a clear near-term catalyst. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: One market note said Costco fell alongside other retail stocks even as lower gas prices and a broader oil-related relief theme were discussed, suggesting some short-term weakness may be driven by sector rotation rather than fundamentals. Article Title

Analyst Ratings Changes

COST has been the subject of several analyst reports. BTIG Research restated a “buy” rating and issued a $1,125.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, May 29th. Telsey Advisory Group boosted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group boosted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 10th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,060.41.

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.