Guardian Capital LLC Acquires New Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Guardian Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 2,944 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $2,539,000. Costco Wholesale comprises about 2.3% of Guardian Capital LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 13th largest holding.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Hurley Capital LLC boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares during the period. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at about $34,000. Collier Financial acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at about $35,000. Joseph Group Capital Management acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at about $33,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at about $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 0.7%

COST stock opened at $1,048.95 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,067.08. The company has a market capitalization of $465.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 54.55, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.16 and a beta of 0.92. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $1,000.90 and its two-hundred day moving average is $955.06. 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) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The company had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $4.02 EPS. Costco Wholesale’s revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st were given a dividend of $1.47 per share. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is presently 30.58%.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco opened a long-awaited warehouse in New Braunfels, Texas, adding to its store base and reinforcing investor confidence in continued unit growth and market expansion. Long-awaited Costco Wholesale now open in New Braunfels
• Positive Sentiment: Another report confirmed the New Braunfels store is now open for business, underscoring Costco’s ongoing rollout of new locations that can support membership and revenue growth. Costco Wholesale now open for business in New Braunfels
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market commentary continue to favor Costco’s membership-driven model, saying it benefits from resilient grocery demand and supports steady growth even in a volatile retail backdrop. WMT or COST: Which Retail Giant Looks More Attractive Now?
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s purchase of a 55-acre property in Florida suggests the company is still investing in significant long-term store growth, which investors typically view as a sign of confidence in future demand. Costco Just Signed Off on a Massive Retail Real Estate Deal in Florida. Here’s What Investors Need to Know About Costco’s Store Growth Goals.
• Neutral Sentiment: Articles debating whether Costco is still a good buy after its multi-year rally mostly reinforce that the stock remains a quality business but is expensive, making the reaction more about valuation than any new fundamental change. Is It Too Late To Consider Costco Wholesale (COST) After Its Strong Multi Year Rally
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage on Costco’s food court chicken tender launch is generating consumer buzz, but the main takeaway is mixed, with some concerns about whether it replaces a favorite item rather than clearly boosting the investment outlook. Costco food court chicken tender launch sparks concerns over item replacement
• Negative Sentiment: Some recent commentary flags Costco’s premium valuation and argues the stock may be difficult to justify at current levels, which can temper enthusiasm despite strong fundamentals. Costco: Strong Fundamentals Meet Growth Premium – A Hold Entering FQ3’26
• Negative Sentiment: Another Seeking Alpha piece argues there is a reason to sell Costco beyond valuation, adding to the cautious tone around the stock’s elevated price level. Costco: Another Reason To Sell (Besides The Valuation)

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated 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 sale, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have issued reports on COST. Evercore set a $1,100.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Gordon Haskett boosted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised shares of Costco Wholesale from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 17th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,047.27.

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.