Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Sold by Tokio Marine Asset Management Co. Ltd.

Tokio Marine Asset Management Co. Ltd. decreased its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 6.9% in the 2nd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 35,164 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 2,615 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale comprises approximately 1.0% of Tokio Marine Asset Management Co. Ltd.’s portfolio, making the stock its 16th largest position. Tokio Marine Asset Management Co. Ltd.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $32,895,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Palisade Asset Management LLC lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 1.4% during the 4th quarter. Palisade Asset Management LLC now owns 702 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $605,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Graybill Wealth Management LTD. now owns 3,194 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,754,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Wealth Effects LLC grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 1.2% in the first quarter. Wealth Effects LLC now owns 874 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $871,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares in the last quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.8% during the first quarter. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. now owns 551 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $549,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares during the period. Finally, First National Bank of Hutchinson raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.9% during the first quarter. First National Bank of Hutchinson now owns 1,098 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,094,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $961.35 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $426.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 48.36, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.57 and a beta of 0.87. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $949.20 and a 200-day moving average of $981.20. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates 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 previous year, the business posted $4.28 EPS. On average, analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th were issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 24th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 29.58%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have recently commented on COST shares. Roth Capital boosted their target price 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. HC Wainwright reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Sanford C. Bernstein boosted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,192.00 to $1,194.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Citigroup began coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, June 18th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $1,020.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $1,120.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, August 6th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,059.53.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total value of $847,343.25. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 4,779 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco plans to offer co-branded Medicare Advantage plans with nonprofit insurer SCAN Group, initially in two states pending regulatory approval. The offerings may eventually include pharmacy, vision, hearing and over-the-counter benefits, potentially increasing member engagement and monetization. Costco launching Medicare Advantage plans with SCAN Group
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market commentary continue to highlight Costco’s Executive membership growth, digital sales conversion and rising fee income as evidence that the company is extracting more value from its membership base. Costco also retains broadly favorable analyst coverage, with a consensus view around “Moderate Buy.” Can Costco Stock Reach New Highs in Member Monetization?
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco brought back a popular Kirkland product discontinued two years ago. The move may support customer goodwill and traffic, but it is unlikely to materially affect earnings or valuation. Costco discontinued this Kirkland favorite 2 years ago. Now it’s back
• Negative Sentiment: Despite a 121% five-year total return, Costco’s valuation remains a concern. Its elevated earnings multiple leaves less room for disappointment, particularly after the latest quarterly EPS slightly missed estimates, even though revenue exceeded expectations. Costco Stock Looks Fully Priced Despite 121% Returns And Earnings Questions

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.