Argo Wealth Advisory LLC Buys Shares of 3,613 Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Argo Wealth Advisory LLC bought a new stake of 3,613 Costco shares in Q4 valued at approximately $3.115 million, making COST about 1.9% of its holdings and the fund's 15th-largest position.
• Costco raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 (annualized $5.88), with an ex-dividend date of May 1 and payment on May 15, signaling strong cash flow while yielding roughly 0.6%.
• Analysts are broadly positive — Costco carries a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" with a consensus target of $1,044.30 after several target upgrades, and the company recently beat the quarter with EPS of $4.58 and revenue up 9.2% year-over-year.

Argo Wealth Advisory LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 3,613 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $3,115,000. Costco Wholesale makes up about 1.9% of Argo Wealth Advisory LLC's holdings, making the stock its 15th biggest holding.

Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Hurley Capital LLC boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $34,000. Collier Financial bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $35,000. AXS Investments LLC purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $36,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $36,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

COST has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Rothschild & Co Redburn upped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 17th. DA Davidson reaffirmed a "neutral" rating and issued a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, April 10th. Oppenheimer boosted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, UBS Group set a $1,175.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, March 6th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,044.30.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of COST opened at $987.21 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,067.08. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $995.77 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $944.13. The stock has a market cap of $437.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.34, a PEG ratio of 4.85 and a beta of 0.99.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) 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 firm's revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $4.02 earnings per share. On average, analysts expect 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. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st will be issued a $1.47 dividend. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 27.04%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred 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 of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This trade represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 21st. The stock was 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 of the company's stock, valued at $4,169,907.28. This represents a 16.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Board raises quarterly dividend to $1.47 (annualized $5.88), signaling strong cash flow and executive confidence; ex-dividend/record dates set and investors reacted favorably. Costco announces dividend increase
• Positive Sentiment: Mizuho raised its price target to $1,100 and maintained an Outperform rating, giving an upside view that supports buying interest. Mizuho increases price target
• Positive Sentiment: Telsey Advisory Group and Wells Fargo have also lifted targets or reiterated positive views, underscoring steady execution and supporting momentum in the stock. Telsey and Wells Fargo raise targets
• Positive Sentiment: Company expansion and product moves — a new store format planned for the west side of a major metroplex and exclusive product rollouts (e.g., Aussie Miracle Curls jumbo pack) highlight growth and differentiated merchandising. New store format for Metroplex
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts and checks show Costco “selling a lot of gas,” which boosts transaction counts and basket sizes — but commentary notes a “catch” (durability/price sensitivity of gas-driven traffic) that makes the benefit uneven. Gas sales boost but with caveat
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage pieces note Costco’s Japan expansion and membership model as durable long-term positives, but these are longer-horizon drivers rather than immediate catalysts. Japan growth story
• Negative Sentiment: Local competition — reports that Sam’s Club and BJ’s are gaining traction in some markets — could pressure share gains in contested trade areas and is a watch item for market-share risk. Competitors gaining traction

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.

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