Churchill Financial Advisors LLC Purchases New Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Churchill Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Costco, purchasing 7,558 shares valued at about $6.52 million. The holding now represents 2.0% of Churchill’s portfolio and is its 12th-largest position.
• Costco reported strong quarterly results, with EPS of $4.58 beating estimates and revenue of $69.60 billion topping expectations. Revenue rose 9.2% year over year, underscoring continued operating momentum.
• The company recently raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share from $1.30, bringing the annualized payout to $5.88. Analysts remain broadly positive, with a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $1,052.60.

Churchill Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 7,558 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $6,518,000. Costco Wholesale makes up 2.0% of Churchill Financial Advisors LLC's portfolio, making the stock its 12th biggest position.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Hurley Capital LLC raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the third 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. Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Joseph Group Capital Management purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Finally, Collier Financial purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at approximately $35,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $1,028.24 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.59. The business's 50 day moving average price is $1,007.87 and its 200-day moving average price is $960.36. The firm has a market capitalization of $456.18 billion, a PE ratio of 53.47, a P/E/G ratio of 5.06 and a beta of 0.92. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The business's revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $4.02 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.33 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st were paid a $1.47 dividend. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is presently 30.58%.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco remains a top momentum and growth name, with multiple recent pieces highlighting strong long-term performance and continued investor interest as the shares trade near record levels. Why Costco (COST) is a Top Momentum Stock for the Long-Term
• Positive Sentiment: Speculation about a possible stock split has intensified after Costco broke back above the $1,000 share-price milestone, which can boost sentiment by making the stock seem more accessible to retail investors. Costco Stock Split Rumors Explode as COST Smashes $1,000 Milestone Again
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market coverage continue to point to Costco’s solid operating momentum and long-term return profile, reinforcing the view that the business is executing well even after a big run-up. A Look At Costco Wholesale (COST) Valuation As Shares Trade Near Recent Highs
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco is expanding its footprint, including rezoning and land purchase activity for new locations, which supports long-term growth but is not likely to move the stock much on its own. New details emerge in proposed north Macon Costco project
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco is also seeing incremental membership-related promotion and seasonal deal coverage, which may help traffic but appears too small to materially affect the share price near term. This Costco deal cuts the price of membership to $45 - here's how to get it
• Negative Sentiment: Near-term pressure is coming from valuation concerns: several articles note that Costco’s stock is already priced for strong execution, leaving little room for disappointment after the recent rally. Costco Q3 Earnings Preview: Great Business With Limited Upside
• Negative Sentiment: Costco also traded lower in sympathy with Walmart after Walmart’s earnings and guidance disappointed investors, sparking broader concern about the consumer-retail backdrop. Costco Stock Dips After Walmart's Q1 Report: What's Going On?
• Negative Sentiment: Costco is facing headlines around tariff refunds and a tax dispute in Japan, adding some legal and regulatory noise, though these issues do not appear to be the main driver of today’s move. Costco suit highlights gaps in $166B tariff refund process

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have commented on the company. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $1,050.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Mizuho raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,065.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, April 16th. BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Truist Financial raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $926.00 to $977.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,171.00 to $1,088.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, March 6th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,052.60.

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 sale, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Costco Wholesale Company 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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