Aprio Wealth Management LLC Increases Stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Aprio Wealth Management boosted its stake in Costco by 192% in Q4, adding 3,529 shares to hold 5,367 shares valued at about $4.63 million at period end.
• Costco's board raised the quarterly dividend to $1.47 (annualized $5.88) from $1.30, payable May 15 with an ex-dividend/record date of May 1, implying a yield of about 0.6%.
• Costco reported a Q EPS beat ($4.58 vs. $4.55 est.) and revenue of $69.6B (up 9.2% YoY), with membership fee benefits and store expansion supporting margins while analysts maintain an average price target near $1,046 and a "Moderate Buy" consensus.

Aprio Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 192.0% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 5,367 shares of the retailer's stock after buying an additional 3,529 shares during the period. Aprio Wealth Management LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $4,628,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Pasadena Private Wealth LLC raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 0.8% in the third quarter. Pasadena Private Wealth LLC now owns 1,403 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,299,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Tandem Investment Partners LLC grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 1.1% in the third quarter. Tandem Investment Partners LLC now owns 990 shares of the retailer's stock worth $916,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the period. Optima Capital LLC grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 0.9% in the third quarter. Optima Capital LLC now owns 1,192 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,104,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the period. Gratus Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.8% during the third quarter. Gratus Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,399 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,295,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cascade Investment Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.0% during the third quarter. Cascade Investment Group Inc. now owns 1,151 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,065,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of COST opened at $1,011.15 on Monday. The business's fifty day simple moving average is $997.12 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $948.27. 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 Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,067.08. The company has a market cap of $448.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.58, a P/E/G ratio of 4.98 and a beta of 0.99.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The company's revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $4.02 earnings per share. Research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st will be issued a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 1st. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is 27.04%.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Board raised the quarterly cash dividend to $1.47 (annualized $5.88), signaling confidence in cash flow and making the stock more attractive to income-focused investors. Costco (COST) Approves Quarterly Dividend Increase Amid Robust Sales Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage highlights that the September 2024 membership fee hike is now fully flowing into 2026 results, helping margin expansion and supporting recent EPS beats — a direct earnings tailwind. Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST): One of the Best Safe Stocks for Beginner Investors
• Positive Sentiment: Company continues to open new warehouses, plus a Costco Business Center and fuel station win that should boost regional sales and commercial accounts over time. Expansion supports long-term same-store growth and membership value. Costco aims for dozens more warehouses in coming years: Here’s when the newest open
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple commentary pieces debate valuation: some say near-$1,000 price is justified by cash generation and resilience, others warn the stock looks expensive — this debate can mute buying momentum. Is Costco's Stock Too Expensive Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: Market-note pieces pointing to recent intraday moves and the stock’s position relative to its all-time high are creating short-term trading interest but not new fundamental news. Costco (COST) Ascends While Market Falls: Some Facts to Note
• Negative Sentiment: Sam’s Club launched initiatives touted as reasons some members might switch, renewing concerns about competitive pressure on membership growth and price-driven traffic. Sam's Club just gave members a reason to ditch Costco
• Negative Sentiment: Rivals such as BJ’s are expanding into new markets (e.g., Texas), adding localized competition that could pressure price or fuel margins in certain regions. New BJ's locations Texas: Club rivaling Costco, Sam's expands to Texas

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated 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 completion of 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 position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have recently commented on COST shares. Jefferies Financial Group restated a "buy" rating and issued a $1,050.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. UBS Group set a $1,175.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Evercore set a $1,100.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Finally, Citigroup restated a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, February 20th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,045.97.

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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