Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Acquired by Rossmore Private Capital

Rossmore Private Capital grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 11.8% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 7,603 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 800 shares during the period. Rossmore Private Capital’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $6,556,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Roberts Glore & Co. Inc. IL grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 7.9% in the fourth quarter. Roberts Glore & Co. Inc. IL now owns 274 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $237,000 after acquiring an additional 20 shares in the last quarter. L & S Advisors Inc grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 15.0% in the fourth quarter. L & S Advisors Inc now owns 1,647 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,420,000 after acquiring an additional 215 shares in the last quarter. Ranch Capital Advisors Inc. grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.4% in the fourth quarter. Ranch Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 877 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $756,000 after acquiring an additional 12 shares in the last quarter. Staley Capital Advisers Inc. grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 24.3% in the fourth quarter. Staley Capital Advisers Inc. now owns 512 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $442,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Guardian Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth $2,539,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

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 value of $732,204.60. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $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 Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on COST shares. BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $1,115.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Truist Financial lifted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $926.00 to $977.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Bank of America started coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, February 27th. They set a “buy” rating and a $1,185.00 price objective for the company. Mizuho lifted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,065.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 16th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,171.00 to $1,088.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,047.27.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $1,048.95 on Monday. The stock has a market cap of $465.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 54.55, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.16 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $1,000.90 and a 200-day simple moving average of $955.24. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,067.08. 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 announced its quarterly 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 net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $68.96 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $4.02 earnings per share. Costco Wholesale’s quarterly revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 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 $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is presently 30.58%.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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)

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.