Northwest Wealth Advisors LLC Buys Shares of 861 Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Northwest Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund bought 861 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $742,000.

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Hurley Capital LLC grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at about $34,000. Collier Financial acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at about $35,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter valued at about $33,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 2.2%

Shares of COST stock opened at $1,050.45 on Friday. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $1,007.14 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $959.65. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,096.50. The firm has a market cap of $466.04 billion, a P/E ratio of 54.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.28 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The company had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $4.02 EPS. Costco Wholesale’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.33 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared 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. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is presently 30.58%.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total value of $732,204.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at $6,139,485.42. This trade represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have recently weighed in on COST. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $1,050.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Gordon Haskett upped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Telsey Advisory Group raised their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. Rothschild & Co Redburn boosted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 17th. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised shares of Costco Wholesale from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 17th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,052.60.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: UBS raised its price target on Costco to $1,275 and reiterated a buy rating, signaling confidence in the company’s growth and earnings power. UBS adjusts price target on Costco Wholesale to $1,275 from $1,205, maintains buy rating
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts continue to back Costco ahead of its fiscal Q3 report, saying the company is likely to deliver strong results despite macro pressures. Costco Expected to Deliver Strong Q3 Results Despite Macro Pressures, UBS Says
• Positive Sentiment: Recent articles highlight continued momentum in Costco’s stock, including record highs and renewed split speculation, reflecting strong investor enthusiasm. Costco Stock Tops $1,000 as Split Speculation Builds
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco is expanding its real estate footprint, with new land purchases and rezoning efforts tied to potential warehouse openings in Upstate New York and Central Georgia, which could support future growth but are unlikely to move the stock today. Costco buys $15.6 million in more Upstate NY land from Pyramid
• Neutral Sentiment: Some articles were largely consumer-interest pieces, including Costco’s new dessert, ethnic grocery selection, and the company’s membership/value proposition; these add to brand visibility but are not major stock drivers. Costco pays new members to join with rare offer
• Negative Sentiment: The main pressure point is valuation: with Costco already near record territory, some investors worry there is limited upside unless upcoming earnings clearly exceed lofty expectations. Costco Q3 Preview: Shares Are A Hold As Expectations Run High
• Negative Sentiment: Headlines about a tax dispute in Japan and broader retail competition, including Kroger’s planned price cuts, add a small amount of near-term noise and margin pressure concerns. Costco hit with 1.5 billion yen tab for undeclared consumption tax

Costco Wholesale 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.