55 North Private Wealth LLC Purchases New Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• 55 North Private Wealth LLC opened a new position in Costco, buying 1,169 shares in Q4 valued at approximately $1,008,000, and institutional investors now own about 68.48% of the company.
• Costco raised its quarterly dividend ~13% to $1.47 per share (annualized $5.88), with an ex-dividend date of May 1 and payment on May 15, signaling strong cash flow and management confidence.
• Costco beat Q results (EPS $4.58 vs. $4.55 expected; revenue $69.6B, up 9.2% YoY), and analysts have lifted price targets amid upbeat momentum, leaving a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target near $1,046.

55 North Private Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor purchased 1,169 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $1,008,000.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Amundi raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 45.0% in the 3rd quarter. Amundi now owns 3,176,606 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $2,893,697,000 after acquiring an additional 986,182 shares in the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% during the 3rd quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 3,145,241 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,911,331,000 after purchasing an additional 34,826 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 8.5% during the third quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 1,619,703 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,499,246,000 after purchasing an additional 127,495 shares during the period. Principal Financial Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.7% during the third quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 1,210,837 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,120,787,000 after purchasing an additional 8,259 shares during the period. Finally, California Public Employees Retirement System raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 13.3% in the third quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 1,160,702 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,074,381,000 after purchasing an additional 136,072 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $999.89 on Monday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,067.08. 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 stock has a market capitalization of $443.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.00, a PEG ratio of 4.93 and a beta of 0.99. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $995.74 and a two-hundred day moving average of $945.03.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion during 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 for the quarter was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $4.02 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 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. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st will be issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is 27.04%.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco raised its quarterly dividend ~13% to $1.47 (payable May 15; record May 1), a sign of strong cash flow and management confidence that lifted investor sentiment. Costco Raises Its Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: Major banks bumped price targets — JPMorgan raised its PT to $1,110 and Mizuho to $1,100 while keeping bullish ratings, signaling analyst conviction in upside vs. current levels. JPMorgan Adjusts PT Mizuho Adjusts PT
• Positive Sentiment: Operational and sales momentum: Costco reported strong March net sales and recent quarterly results that beat expectations, reinforcing growth and margin resilience. Analysts cite that momentum as part of the bull case alongside the dividend move. Bull Case for Costco
• Positive Sentiment: Product exclusives and in-warehouse surprises — Costco continues to roll out exclusive large-format items and even popular fast-food products that drive foot traffic and impulse buys. These merchandising wins help differentiate membership value. Costco Adds Fast-Food Product Exclusive Aussie Product
• Neutral Sentiment: Checkout and store tech improvements (automated pay stations, AI pricing/markdowns) aim to speed throughput and reduce perishables waste; these are positive long-term but will take time to scale. Automated Pay Stations Grocers Use AI
• Neutral Sentiment: Competitive dynamics: Sam’s Club and BJ’s are making localized gains and Sam’s Club fee moves could reshape pricing among warehouse clubs; this could benefit Costco if it retains perceived value, but it’s an evolving factor. Competitors Gaining Traction Sam's Club Fees
• Negative Sentiment: Fuel sales are elevated (adds revenue/traffic), but analysts warn there’s a caveat around margins and sensitivity to gas price swings; persistent high fuel/traffic volatility could dampen same-store trends. Gas Sales Catch

Analysts Set New Price Targets

COST has been the topic of several recent research reports. Gordon Haskett raised their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. TD Cowen reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, March 6th. BTIG Research reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $1,115.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,110.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. 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 company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,045.97.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total value of $838,321.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 4,228 shares in the company, valued at $4,169,907.28. This trade represents a 16.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

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.

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