Benjamin Edwards Inc. Boosts Stock Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Benjamin Edwards Inc. increased its stake in Costco by 1.6% in Q4 to 88,081 shares worth $75.995 million, representing about 0.8% of the firm's holdings and ranking COST as its 15th largest position.
• Costco raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 (annualized $5.88) from $1.30, implying a 0.6% yield; the ex-dividend date is May 1 and the payment is due May 15.
• Costco slightly beat quarterly expectations with EPS $4.58 vs. $4.55 and revenue $69.6B (up 9.2% YoY), but trades at a premium valuation (P/E ~52.6) and carries a consensus "Moderate Buy" rating with an average target of $1,045.97.

Benjamin Edwards Inc. increased its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 1.6% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 88,081 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 1,353 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale comprises about 0.8% of Benjamin Edwards Inc.'s holdings, making the stock its 15th largest holding. Benjamin Edwards Inc.'s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $75,995,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of COST. Hurley Capital LLC lifted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in 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. Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Collier Financial bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Amy’s Kitchen will roll select frozen meals into more than 150 Costco warehouses across key U.S. markets, expanding fresh/organic assortment and potentially boosting food sales and member engagement. Amy's Kitchen Lands Costco Distribution in Three Major Markets, Bringing Organic Frozen Meals to Millions of Members
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is hiring ahead of a new Guilderland, NY warehouse opening — a sign of continued unit growth that supports revenue and membership expansion over time. Costco begins hiring as opening of Guilderland warehouse nears
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst/market pieces highlight Costco’s strong membership metrics and ability to convert members to higher-fee Executive tiers, supporting recurring revenue and margins. This ongoing narrative underpins bullish views despite macro uncertainty. Better Buy: Walmart or Costco Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Costco received recognition in TIME’s influential companies coverage, reinforcing brand strength that supports long-term customer loyalty and pricing power. Costco Wholesale
• Neutral Sentiment: Retail-focused stories on seasonal merchandise and promotions (patio furniture roundups, a Dyson sale) reflect normal merchandising and traffic drivers but are routine and unlikely to move fundamentals by themselves. 9 Costco Patio Dining Furniture Sets To Look For In 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco quietly changed elements of its long-standing $1.50 hot dog combo (product tweaks, price intact), a brand-story item that signals attention to costs but keeps the iconic price point. Costco changed the hot dog combo after 40 years. Is it still $1.50? Here's what to know
• Negative Sentiment: Several pieces question whether COST’s strong YTD performance and premium valuation leave ample upside from current levels, highlighting its high P/E and recent run — a valuation headwind that can pressure the stock if growth expectations slip. Is It Too Late To Consider Costco Wholesale (COST) After Its Strong Year To Date Run?

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 0.3%

Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $1,011.70 on Friday. 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 capitalization of $448.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 52.61, a P/E/G ratio of 5.00 and a beta of 0.92. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $996.93 and a 200-day moving average price of $949.91. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,067.08.

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 company had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The firm's quarterly revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $4.02 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st will be paid a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 1st. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 27.04%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the 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 sale, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This trade represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

COST has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Truist Financial upped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $926.00 to $977.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,171.00 to $1,088.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Weiss Ratings raised Costco Wholesale from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 17th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,110.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Friday, April 17th. Finally, BTIG Research reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $1,115.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price 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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