Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Purchased by Arvest Bank Trust Division

Key Points

• Arvest Bank Trust Division sharply increased its Costco stake in the fourth quarter, boosting its holdings by 698.3% to 5,021 shares worth about $4.33 million.
• Costco’s latest earnings topped expectations, with EPS of $4.58 versus estimates of $4.55 and revenue of $69.6 billion, up 9.2% year over year.
• The company also raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share from $1.30, while analysts remain broadly positive with a Moderate Buy consensus and an average price target of $1,052.60.

Arvest Bank Trust Division lifted its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 698.3% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 5,021 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 4,392 shares during the quarter. Arvest Bank Trust Division's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $4,330,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. AlphaQuest LLC grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 223.1% in the 4th quarter. AlphaQuest LLC now owns 1,764 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,521,000 after acquiring an additional 1,218 shares in the last quarter. Collaborative Wealth Managment Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth approximately $383,000. AR Asset Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth approximately $517,000. Bleakley Financial Group LLC grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 5.1% in the 4th quarter. Bleakley Financial Group LLC now owns 13,126 shares of the retailer's stock worth $11,319,000 after acquiring an additional 636 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Box Hill Private Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth approximately $814,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the business's stock in a transaction 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 approximately $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 2.5%

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $1,002.93 on Wednesday. The business's fifty day moving average price is $1,008.26 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $961.45. 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 company has a market capitalization of $444.95 billion, a P/E ratio of 52.15, a PEG 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 announced its earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. The firm 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 revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $4.02 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.33 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st were paid a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was 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 presently 30.58%.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Bank of America reiterated a Buy rating and kept its $1,185 price target, reinforcing the view that Costco (COST) still has upside if it delivers another solid quarter. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and options traders expect a meaningful post-earnings move, highlighting how much attention Costco is drawing heading into results. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Recent coverage points to strong membership growth, digital gains, and AI-driven personalization as drivers of continued sales momentum for Costco. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple previews say Costco is well positioned for earnings, but its premium valuation may limit enthusiasm unless the company beats expectations convincingly. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: A federal jury ruled against Costco in a disability discrimination case, adding a legal and compliance overhang and potential extra costs from attorneys’ fees. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: One article noted the shares are slipping ahead of earnings, reflecting investor caution and valuation concerns rather than a major operational setback. Article Title

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have recently commented on COST shares. Rothschild & Co Redburn lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. BTIG Research reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $1,115.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Raymond James Financial raised their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Truist Financial raised their price target on Costco Wholesale from $926.00 to $977.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, 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 report on Thursday, April 9th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,052.60.

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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