Atria Investments Inc Sells 1,409 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Atria Investments Inc cut its Costco stake by 8.6% in the fourth quarter, selling 1,409 shares and leaving it with 14,994 shares valued at about $12.93 million.
• Costco reported strong quarterly results, with earnings per share of $4.58 beating estimates and revenue of $69.6 billion topping expectations, while revenue rose 9.2% year over year.
• The company also raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share from $1.30, and analysts remain generally bullish with a consensus rating of Moderate Buy.

Atria Investments Inc lessened its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 8.6% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 14,994 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 1,409 shares during the quarter. Atria Investments Inc's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $12,930,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Hurley Capital LLC boosted its position in 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 in the last quarter. Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth approximately $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth $34,000. Collier Financial purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at about $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 0.8%

COST stock opened at $1,041.25 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $1,000.06 and a 200 day moving average price of $954.40. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two 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 firm has a market cap of $461.95 billion, a PE ratio of 54.15, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.09 and a beta of 0.92.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results 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 company had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. Costco Wholesale'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 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.32 earnings per share 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. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st will be given a dividend of $1.47 per share. 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 is Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 30.58%.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of Costco Wholesale 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 value of $732,204.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $1,050.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. UBS Group set a $1,175.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, March 6th. BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Costco Wholesale from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 17th. 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 company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,047.27.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco acquired a 55-acre site in Fort Myers, Florida, signaling room for a major new warehouse or related retail development and supporting its expansion strategy. Costco Acquires 55-Acre Site in Fort Myers, Marking One of Southwest Florida's Largest and Highest-Value Land Sales
• Positive Sentiment: New commentary highlighted Costco’s strong membership economics, noting 82.1 million paid memberships and an 89.7% global renewal rate, which suggests resilient recurring revenue even as inflation pressures households. Inflation Just Hit 3.8% and Nine Out of Ten Costco Members Re-Up Every Year. Here Is Why That Math Matters.
• Positive Sentiment: Additional bullish coverage emphasized Costco’s durable business model and continued store-growth potential, reinforcing investor confidence in the company’s long-term earnings power. 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: One analyst note argued Costco remains a strong company but is still trading at a premium valuation, which may temper enthusiasm even with solid fundamentals. Costco: Strong Fundamentals Meet Growth Premium - A Hold Entering FQ3'26
• Negative Sentiment: Another Seeking Alpha piece raised a bearish view on Costco, suggesting valuation remains a reason to sell despite the company’s operational strength. Costco: Another Reason To Sell (Besides The Valuation)

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.

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).

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.