Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Acquired by Hilltop Partners LLC

Hilltop Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 41.6% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 2,819 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 828 shares during the quarter. Hilltop Partners LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $2,431,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Brown Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 3.7% in the 3rd quarter. Brown Wealth Management LLC now owns 305 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $282,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the period. Caliber Wealth Management LLC KS grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.7% in the 3rd quarter. Caliber Wealth Management LLC KS now owns 655 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $606,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the period. Somerset Group LLC grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% in the 3rd quarter. Somerset Group LLC now owns 4,220 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,906,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the period. Hughes Financial Services LLC grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 4.3% in the 3rd quarter. Hughes Financial Services LLC now owns 268 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $245,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the period. Finally, Bank & Trust Co grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 18.3% in the 4th quarter. Bank & Trust Co now owns 71 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $61,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction 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 transaction, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This trade represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 3.9%

Shares of COST stock opened at $956.32 on Friday. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $1,007.80 and its two-hundred day moving average is $962.48. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 1.06. The firm has a market capitalization of $424.27 billion, a P/E ratio of 49.73, a PEG ratio of 4.90 and a beta of 0.92. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.98 by ($0.05). The firm had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $69.68 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $4.28 EPS. Research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.33 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

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

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco posted strong third-quarter results, with revenue of $70.53 billion topping estimates and same-store sales rising 9.8%, showing that members are still spending on essentials and value-focused purchases.
• Positive Sentiment: Gasoline sales were a standout, with Costco’s gas stations setting all-time or record volume levels as drivers sought lower-priced fuel amid elevated energy costs. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Digital growth and membership strength continued to support results, helping offset margin pressure and reinforcing Costco’s value-driven model.
• Positive Sentiment: Several Wall Street firms raised price targets or reiterated bullish ratings, including Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, Bernstein, BTIG, and Morgan Stanley, signaling confidence in Costco’s long-term fundamentals.
• Neutral Sentiment: DA Davidson reaffirmed a neutral rating with a $1,000 target, suggesting modest upside but not a strong catalyst for a re-rating.
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco said it will return U.S. tariff refunds to members “in some form,” which may help customer loyalty but does not yet provide a clear financial boost.
• Negative Sentiment: EPS of $4.93 missed consensus by a small margin, and investors appear focused on the earnings shortfall more than the sales beat.
• Negative Sentiment: Margin pressure from higher costs and a premium valuation have prompted some traders to sell after the report, limiting enthusiasm despite the strong top-line performance.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms recently issued reports on COST. Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Telsey Advisory Group lifted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. BTIG Research reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $1,125.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday. UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 20th. Finally, Raymond James Financial lifted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Twenty-one equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,056.32.

About Costco Wholesale

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.