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2,015 Shares in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Bought by Legacy Edge Advisors LLC

Costco Wholesale logo with Retail/Wholesale background
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Key Points

  • Legacy Edge Advisors LLC established a new position in Costco (COST), buying 2,015 shares in Q4 worth about $1.738 million, and institutional investors now own roughly 68.48% of the company.
  • Costco topped Q4 estimates with EPS $4.58 vs. $4.55 and revenue of $69.6 billion (up 9.2% year-over-year), and analysts expect about 20.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.
  • Costco raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share (annualized $5.88, ex-dividend May 1), while the stock trades at a premium (PE ~52.6) and carries a consensus "Moderate Buy" rating with an average price target near $1,046.
  • Interested in Costco Wholesale? Here are five stocks we like better.

Legacy Edge Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 2,015 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $1,738,000.

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of COST. Balentine LLC lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 7.0% in the fourth quarter. Balentine LLC now owns 276 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $238,000 after buying an additional 18 shares during the period. Aurora Private Wealth Inc. acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth about $226,000. Benjamin Edwards Inc. raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.6% in the 4th quarter. Benjamin Edwards Inc. now owns 88,081 shares of the retailer's stock worth $75,995,000 after acquiring an additional 1,353 shares in the last quarter. LVZ Inc. raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 22.1% in the 4th quarter. LVZ Inc. now owns 1,472 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,269,000 after acquiring an additional 266 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sandro Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth about $2,269,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

COST stock opened at $1,011.70 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $448.84 billion, a PE ratio of 52.61, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.99 and a beta of 0.92. The company's 50-day moving average is $996.93 and its 200-day moving average is $950.01. 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 Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,067.08.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The business's revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $4.02 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st will be given a dividend of $1.47 per share. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is currently 27.04%.

Insider Activity

In other 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 transaction of $732,204.60. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. 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 owned by company insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on COST shares. Rothschild & Co Redburn lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $1,050.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Evercore set a $1,100.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, March 2nd. Truist Financial lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $926.00 to $977.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Oppenheimer lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,045.97.

Check Out Our Latest Report on COST

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

Costco Wholesale Company Profile

(Free Report)

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.

Further Reading

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding COST? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report).

Institutional Ownership by Quarter for Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST)

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

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