Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Stock Holdings Increased by Loring Wolcott & Coolidge Fiduciary Advisors LLP MA

Key Points

• Loring Wolcott & Coolidge Fiduciary Advisors LLP MA increased its Costco stake by 0.9%, adding 2,123 shares to hold 243,719 shares valued at about $210.17 million, making Costco its 15th-largest holding.
• Costco beat quarterly expectations, reporting $4.58 EPS and $69.6 billion in revenue (up 9.2% YoY), and the board approved a ~13% dividend increase to $1.47 per share; analysts hold a "Moderate Buy" consensus with an average target of $1,045.97.

Loring Wolcott & Coolidge Fiduciary Advisors LLP MA grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 0.9% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 243,719 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 2,123 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale makes up 1.9% of Loring Wolcott & Coolidge Fiduciary Advisors LLP MA's portfolio, making the stock its 15th largest holding. Loring Wolcott & Coolidge Fiduciary Advisors LLP MA owned about 0.05% of Costco Wholesale worth $210,169,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in COST. Hurley Capital LLC grew its holdings in shares of 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 purchasing an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Collier Financial bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at approximately $35,000. AXS Investments LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth approximately $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $1,014.38 on Friday. The company's fifty day moving average is $997.26 and its two-hundred day moving average is $947.11. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,067.08. The company has a market cap of $450.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 52.75, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.95 and a beta of 0.99.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The company had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $4.02 EPS. The company's revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 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 given a dividend of $1.47 per share. 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. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 27.04%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Local expansion — Haltom City won a Costco Business Center with an attached fuel station, signaling continued footprint growth and fuel-margin revenue opportunities in a new market. Haltom City lands Costco Business Center, fuel station in major economic win
• Positive Sentiment: New store momentum — A Pensacola Costco has a tentative opening date, underscoring steady unit growth that supports longer-term sales and membership expansion. Pensacola's Costco has an opening date. Sort of.
• Positive Sentiment: Strategic rollout — Costco says it aims to open dozens more warehouses in the coming years, a clear growth plan that supports revenue and membership metrics. Expansion cadence is a direct driver of sales growth. Costco aims for dozens more warehouses in coming years: Here’s when the newest open
• Positive Sentiment: Shareholder return — The board approved a ~13% quarterly dividend increase to $1.47 per share, raising the annualized payout and making the stock more attractive to income-focused investors. Costco (COST) Approves Quarterly Dividend Increase Amid Robust Sales Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Investor bullishness — Analysis pieces argue that Costco remains a sector leader and that buying on recent pullbacks could be compelling for long-term investors, supporting demand for the stock. With Costco Down 7% From Its All-Time High, Could Buying Now Set You Up for Life?
• Neutral Sentiment: Market context — Coverage notes COST outperformed a weak market session, reflecting defensive demand but not changing fundamentals. Short-term price action may be tied to market rotation rather than new company catalysts. Costco (COST) Ascends While Market Falls: Some Facts to Note
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation discussion — Several analyst/opinion pieces question whether COST is “too expensive” near $1,000 a share despite strong fundamentals; valuation concerns could temper further rapid upside. Is Costco's Stock Too Expensive Now?
• Negative Sentiment: Rising competition — BJ’s Wholesale Club is expanding in Texas with new locations and low gas prices, representing localized competitive pressure that could affect membership and fuel margins in those markets. New BJ's locations Texas: Club rivaling Costco, Sam's expands to Texas

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Weiss Ratings upgraded Costco Wholesale from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 17th. BTIG Research reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $1,115.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. DA Davidson reiterated a "neutral" rating and set a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, April 10th. Truist Financial boosted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $926.00 to $977.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,110.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Friday, April 17th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,045.97.

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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