Platform Wealth Management LLC Makes New $17.97 Million Investment in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Platform Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor purchased 20,842 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $17,973,000. Costco Wholesale accounts for about 4.8% of Platform Wealth Management LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 6th biggest holding.

Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. FORA Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at $2,781,000. World Investment Advisors lifted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 8.4% during the fourth quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 20,081 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $15,835,000 after acquiring an additional 1,560 shares during the period. Teacher Retirement System of Texas lifted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 24.5% during the fourth quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 140,429 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $121,098,000 after acquiring an additional 27,625 shares during the period. Curtis Advisory Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 56.7% during the fourth quarter. Curtis Advisory Group LLC now owns 4,535 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,911,000 after acquiring an additional 1,641 shares during the period. Finally, Mariner LLC lifted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.5% during the third quarter. Mariner LLC now owns 399,894 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $370,140,000 after acquiring an additional 5,937 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 0.8%

NASDAQ COST opened at $961.83 on Thursday. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $1,006.79 and its 200-day moving average is $963.58. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,096.50. The firm has a market cap of $426.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 48.38, a P/E/G ratio of 4.62 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.59.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.72%. 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 prior year, the business posted $4.28 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 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 paid a $1.47 dividend. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is 29.58%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 9th. The stock was 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 ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco reported robust May sales growth, with net sales up 14.5% year over year and strong comparable sales across key geographies, signaling healthy demand and execution. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports May Sales Results
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts remained constructive, with TD Cowen reaffirming a Buy rating and lifting its price target to $1,175, suggesting more upside if Costco keeps delivering on sales and memberships. Benzinga coverage of TD Cowen rating
• Positive Sentiment: Articles highlighted Costco’s accelerating growth drivers, including stronger digital demand, membership income, and traffic, which support the long-term bullish case for the stock. 3 Compelling Costco Growth Drivers You Might Not Know About
• Positive Sentiment: Higher gasoline prices may be driving more traffic to Costco fuel stations, helping boost store visits and supporting the warehouse club’s value proposition. Costco gets surprising lift from an everyday expense

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on COST shares. Guggenheim reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday. Evercore set a $1,100.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Truist Financial upped their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $977.00 to $1,011.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Roth Mkm upped their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $769.00 to $781.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Finally, Citigroup reiterated a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, February 20th. Twenty-two 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.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,060.41.

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.