Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. Purchases 5,967 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST
by Doug Wharley · The Cerbat GemNomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST – Free Report) by 2.8% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 217,379 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 5,967 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale makes up about 0.5% of Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 27th biggest holding. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $187,455,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Hurley Capital LLC increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in 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 in the last quarter. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth $31,000. Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth $34,000. Finally, Collier Financial bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at $35,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.
Insider Buying and Selling
In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, March 9th. The shares were 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 owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.
Costco Wholesale News Summary
Here are the key news stories impacting Costco Wholesale this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Costco posted strong third-quarter results, with revenue of $70.53 billion topping estimates and same-store sales rising 9.8%, showing that members are still spending on essentials and value-focused purchases.
- Positive Sentiment: Gasoline sales were a standout, with Costco’s gas stations setting all-time or record volume levels as drivers sought lower-priced fuel amid elevated energy costs. Article Title
- Positive Sentiment: Digital growth and membership strength continued to support results, helping offset margin pressure and reinforcing Costco’s value-driven model.
- Positive Sentiment: Several Wall Street firms raised price targets or reiterated bullish ratings, including Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, Bernstein, BTIG, and Morgan Stanley, signaling confidence in Costco’s long-term fundamentals.
- Neutral Sentiment: DA Davidson reaffirmed a neutral rating with a $1,000 target, suggesting modest upside but not a strong catalyst for a re-rating.
- Neutral Sentiment: Costco said it will return U.S. tariff refunds to members “in some form,” which may help customer loyalty but does not yet provide a clear financial boost.
- Negative Sentiment: EPS of $4.93 missed consensus by a small margin, and investors appear focused on the earnings shortfall more than the sales beat.
- Negative Sentiment: Margin pressure from higher costs and a premium valuation have prompted some traders to sell after the report, limiting enthusiasm despite the strong top-line performance.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $1,050.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,110.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, April 17th. Citigroup reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Finally, UBS Group upped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 20th. Twenty-one 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, Costco Wholesale presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,056.32.
Get Our Latest Analysis on Costco Wholesale
Costco Wholesale Stock Performance
Shares of COST opened at $956.32 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,096.50. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $1,007.80 and a 200 day simple moving average of $962.48. The stock has a market capitalization of $424.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 49.73, a PEG ratio of 4.71 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18.
Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.95 by ($0.02). Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The business had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $70.13 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $4.28 EPS. Research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.36 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st were issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is currently 30.58%.
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.
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