Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Acquired by Horizon Investments LLC

Key Points

• Horizon Investments LLC increased its stake in Costco by 52.8% in Q4, bringing its holding to 27,895 shares valued at about $24.06 million, while institutional investors own roughly 68.48% of the company.
• Costco slightly beat recent quarterly expectations with EPS of $4.58 versus $4.55 estimated and revenue of $69.60 billion versus $68.96 billion, marking 9.2% year-over-year revenue growth.
• Analysts’ consensus is a “Moderate Buy” (22 Buy / 11 Hold / 1 Sell) with a $1,045.97 price target, and Costco raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 (=$5.88 annual, ~0.6% yield).

Horizon Investments LLC increased its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 52.8% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 27,895 shares of the retailer's stock after buying an additional 9,645 shares during the quarter. Horizon Investments LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $24,055,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Hurley Capital LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 18 shares during the period. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at $34,000. Collier Financial purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at $35,000. Joseph Group Capital Management purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at $33,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at $36,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on COST. DA Davidson reaffirmed a "neutral" rating and set a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, April 10th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target 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. BMO Capital Markets raised their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Rothschild & Co Redburn raised 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. Finally, Evercore set a $1,100.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,045.97.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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 Performance

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 cap of $448.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.61, a P/E/G ratio of 5.00 and a beta of 0.92. The business's 50-day simple moving average is $996.93 and its 200-day simple moving average is $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 issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The business 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 firm's revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $4.02 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

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

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale 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 value of $732,204.60. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. This trade represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

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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