Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Stake Reduced by Independent Advisor Alliance

Key Points

• Independent Advisor Alliance cut its Costco stake by 19.2% in the fourth quarter, selling 6,173 shares and leaving it with 26,056 shares worth about $22.5 million.
• Costco’s latest quarterly results beat expectations, with EPS of $4.58 and revenue of $69.6 billion, while revenue rose 9.2% year over year.
• The company raised its dividend to $1.47 per share quarterly from $1.30, lifting the annualized payout to $5.88 per share and signaling continued cash generation.

Independent Advisor Alliance reduced its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 19.2% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 26,056 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 6,173 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale comprises approximately 0.5% of Independent Advisor Alliance's holdings, making the stock its 25th largest position. Independent Advisor Alliance's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $22,469,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Madison Asset Management LLC grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.8% during the 4th quarter. Madison Asset Management LLC now owns 27,581 shares of the retailer's stock worth $23,784,000 after buying an additional 486 shares during the last quarter. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.7% during the 4th quarter. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp now owns 35,563 shares of the retailer's stock worth $30,667,000 after buying an additional 237 shares during the last quarter. World Investment Advisors grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 8.4% during the 4th quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 20,081 shares of the retailer's stock worth $15,835,000 after buying an additional 1,560 shares during the last quarter. One Wealth Map LLC grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 49.9% during the 4th quarter. One Wealth Map LLC now owns 646 shares of the retailer's stock worth $557,000 after buying an additional 215 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Opinicus Capital Inc. grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 0.6% during the 4th quarter. Opinicus Capital Inc. now owns 1,983 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,710,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the company'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 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 sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts recently commented on COST shares. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,171.00 to $1,088.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Raymond James Financial upped their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Bank of America initiated coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, February 27th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $1,185.00 price target for the company. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $1,050.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, Mizuho increased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,065.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 16th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,047.27.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 2.2%

NASDAQ:COST opened at $1,021.88 on Wednesday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,067.08. The stock has a market cap of $453.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 53.14, a PEG ratio of 4.92 and a beta of 0.92. The business has a fifty day moving average of $998.78 and a 200-day moving average of $952.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 1.06.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The company's revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $4.02 earnings per share. Equities analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.32 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed 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 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is currently 30.58%.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco posted strong April sales trends, with reports citing 11.6% comparable sales growth, 13% net sales growth, and an 18.8% rise in digitally enabled comps, reinforcing confidence in the company’s membership-driven model and e-commerce expansion.
• Positive Sentiment: TD Cowen issued a bullish view after visiting Costco’s headquarters, suggesting the retailer still has room to grow and that the stock’s recent strength may be supported by fundamentals rather than just market momentum. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Several pieces pointed to Costco as a defensive, high-quality retailer with durable demand and strong customer loyalty, which may be attracting investors looking for stability amid broader consumer uncertainty.
• Neutral Sentiment: Some coverage framed Costco as a “hold” or questioned whether the stock’s valuation is already rich, implying that much of the good news may already be priced in. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Other articles discussed long-term growth themes such as digital perks, food court changes, and broader consumer-staples positioning, but these were more informational than immediate stock catalysts.
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation remains a concern, with multiple articles noting that Costco trades at a premium and may warrant patience if growth slows or margins come under pressure.
• Negative Sentiment: Some commentary suggested Costco has underperformed the broader market over the past year, which could temper enthusiasm despite its strong operating performance. Article Title

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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