Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Sold by JSF Financial LLC

Key Points

• JSF Financial LLC cut its Costco stake by 56.2% in the fourth quarter, leaving it with 2,043 shares worth about $1.76 million.
• Costco reported strong quarterly results, with earnings of $4.58 per share and revenue of $69.6 billion, both topping analyst expectations and rising 9.2% year over year.
• The company also raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share, up from $1.30, while analysts remain broadly positive with a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy."

JSF Financial LLC reduced its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 56.2% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 2,043 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 2,622 shares during the period. JSF Financial LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $1,762,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Hurley Capital LLC increased its stake in 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 purchasing an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Joseph Group Capital Management purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Collier Financial purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at approximately $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the company'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 transaction of $732,204.60. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $1,008.79 on Friday. The firm's fifty day simple moving average is $998.03 and its 200-day simple moving average is $951.50. The stock has a market capitalization of $447.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.46, a PEG ratio of 4.97 and a beta of 0.92. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,067.08. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.59.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results 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 analysts' expectations of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The company's quarterly revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $4.02 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.32 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

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

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: April net sales rose 13% and comparable sales remained strong, signaling resilient demand and solid momentum for Costco’s core business. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports April Sales Results
• Positive Sentiment: Bank of America reiterated a Buy rating after the sales update, pointing to Costco’s steady comparable sales trend despite macro uncertainty. Costco April sales top expectations despite Easter shift, macroeconomic uncertainty
• Positive Sentiment: Deutsche Bank raised its price target and kept a Buy rating, adding to bullish sentiment around the stock. Deutsche Bank adjusts Costco Wholesale PT
• Positive Sentiment: Market chatter around a possible special dividend later this year may be attracting income-focused investors to COST. Is Costco Preparing Another Special Dividend This Year?
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco is also in the news for store expansion plans in California and Florida, which is constructive long term but not an immediate stock catalyst. Costco plots major California expansion as it announces new store openings
• Neutral Sentiment: Several lifestyle and product roundups highlight Costco’s strong brand and value perception, but these are unlikely to move the stock much on their own.
• Negative Sentiment: A lawsuit over Costco’s tariff-refund pricing strategy could create legal and margin uncertainty, though the longer-term financial impact is still unclear. Costco’s Going to Court Because It Wants to Give You Tariff Refunds

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have commented on COST shares. Daiwa Securities Group increased their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 10th. Oppenheimer increased their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday. Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, UBS Group set a $1,175.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale 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. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,046.03.

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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