USS Investment Management Ltd Has $71.62 Million Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

USS Investment Management Ltd raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 2.2% in the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 71,888 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 1,539 shares during the quarter. USS Investment Management Ltd’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $71,625,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

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

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

COST opened at $924.67 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $410.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.51, a PEG ratio of 4.53 and a beta of 0.88. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,096.50. 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 fifty day moving average price of $992.50 and a 200 day moving average price of $972.25.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.94 by ($0.01). Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.The firm had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $70.12 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $4.28 earnings per share. Analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st were given a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This is a boost 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 payout ratio is 29.58%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

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 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 directly owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts see Costco’s large cash position, low debt, and steady membership-fee stream as advantages that could help it keep investing through retail headwinds and support future growth. Can Costco Outgrow Retail Headwinds on Balance Sheet Strength?
• Positive Sentiment: Commentary also highlighted stronger executive membership penetration, which can boost higher-margin fee income and improve Costco’s sales mix, with additional growth potential from China expansion. Costco’s Executive Penetration Could Unlock More Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Erste Group Bank raised its FY2027 earnings estimate for Costco, signaling continued confidence in the company’s earnings power beyond the current fiscal year. Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST)
• Positive Sentiment: Articles focused on Costco’s growing footprint, including new Texas warehouse openings, reinforcing the company’s steady unit expansion and brand strength with consumers. Costco cashes in on 2 new Texas warehouses opening this summer. Here’s where
• Neutral Sentiment: Several recent consumer-focused articles and opinion pieces about Costco products and shopping habits are not likely to move the stock much on their own. 7 Costco finds that help you save on warm-weather essentials
• Neutral Sentiment: One recent bullish article argued Costco can generate long-term passive income and capital appreciation, but this is more a thesis piece than a new catalyst. Want $3,000 in Annual Passive Income? Invest $146,000 in Costco in July and Wait 10 Years.
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple recent write-ups warn that Costco’s valuation is expensive, with some analysts saying the stock’s strong multi-year run has left limited upside unless growth accelerates further. Costco (COST) Stock Looks Strong On Returns But Expensive On Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Bearish commentary also suggested Costco may have more downside if investors keep focusing on slowing growth versus its premium earnings multiple. Costco Stock: More Pain To Come

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages recently issued reports on COST. Roth Mkm increased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,192.00 to $1,194.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Weiss Ratings downgraded Costco Wholesale from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Tuesday, June 23rd. Telsey Advisory Group increased their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Finally, TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating and set a $1,175.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,061.45.

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.