Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Stock Position Increased by World Investment Advisors

World Investment Advisors boosted its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 8.4% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 20,081 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 1,560 shares during the quarter. World Investment Advisors’ holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $15,835,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of COST. Brighton Jones LLC increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 12.3% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 19,825 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $18,165,000 after buying an additional 2,172 shares during the period. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 13.1% during the 4th quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,123 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,029,000 after buying an additional 130 shares during the period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 4.5% during the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 3,853 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,814,000 after buying an additional 165 shares during the period. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.1% during the 2nd quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. now owns 2,110 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,089,000 after buying an additional 23 shares during the period. Finally, Schnieders Capital Management LLC. increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 2.2% during the 2nd quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 8,502 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $8,416,000 after buying an additional 182 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on 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 transaction, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Company 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: Costco reported strong April results, with comparable sales and net sales rising sharply, while e-commerce growth surged and helped reinforce the strength of its membership model. Costco’s April Sales Growth Highlights Strength in Membership Model
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts said Costco’s digitally enabled comparable sales jumped well above the company average, suggesting e-commerce could support a higher valuation over time. Why Costco’s E-commerce Gains Could Drive Higher Valuation
• Positive Sentiment: TD Cowen issued a bullish view after visiting Costco’s headquarters, saying the retailer still has room to grow and warning that complacency is the bigger risk than demand weakness. Costco’s Biggest Risk Is Being Complacent, Analyst Says After HQ Visit
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple pieces framed Costco as a durable, recession-resistant consumer staple with a strong membership flywheel, which can support investor confidence in the stock. Why Costco Stock Could Be Recession-Proof
• Neutral Sentiment: Several articles focused on whether Costco is still a buy at current levels, with commentary suggesting the stock’s premium valuation may limit upside even though business trends remain strong. Should Investors Buy Costco Stock Now After Strong April Retail Sales?
• Neutral Sentiment: Other coverage noted Costco’s long-term growth opportunities and strong loyalty, but these were more strategic than immediate catalysts for the share price. Is This Costco’s Hidden Growth Engine?
• Negative Sentiment: Some commentary warned that Costco’s stock has already run up significantly and may be vulnerable if investors decide the valuation is too rich or if consumer trends soften. Is It Time to Sell Costco Stock?

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have commented on the stock. Citigroup reissued a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, February 20th. BTIG Research reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $1,115.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Raymond James Financial raised their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Roth Mkm reaffirmed a “sell” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. Finally, Gordon Haskett lifted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,047.27.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 2.2%

NASDAQ:COST opened at $1,021.88 on Wednesday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,067.08. The firm has a market cap of $453.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 53.14, a P/E/G ratio of 4.92 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. The company’s 50 day moving average is $998.78 and its 200-day moving average is $952.99.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, beating 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 analyst estimates of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $4.02 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.32 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

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

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.