Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Stock Purchased by Fortitude Advisory Group L.L.C.

Key Points

• Fortitude Advisory Group increased its Costco position by 35.1% in the third quarter, bringing its holdings to 5,085 shares valued at approximately $4.63 million. Institutional investors own 68.48% of Costco’s stock.
• Costco reported quarterly EPS of $6.75 and revenue of $95.72 billion, exceeding analyst expectations, while revenue rose 11.1% year over year. The company also declared a quarterly dividend of $1.47 per share, representing an annualized yield of about 0.6%.
• Analyst sentiment remains positive, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $1,087.40, although Costco’s high valuation and recent executive stock sales present potential cautionary signals.

Fortitude Advisory Group L.L.C. boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 35.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 5,085 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 1,322 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale comprises 1.8% of Fortitude Advisory Group L.L.C.'s holdings, making the stock its 8th biggest holding. Fortitude Advisory Group L.L.C.'s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $4,629,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Davidson Capital Management Inc. lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 2.5% in the third quarter. Davidson Capital Management Inc. now owns 3,064 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,789,000 after purchasing an additional 76 shares during the last quarter. AdvisorNet Financial Inc grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 14.4% during the third quarter. AdvisorNet Financial Inc now owns 8,091 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $7,223,000 after buying an additional 1,020 shares during the last quarter. Community Trust & Investment Co. grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 3.8% during the third quarter. Community Trust & Investment Co. now owns 16,903 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $15,387,000 after buying an additional 612 shares during the last quarter. Barlow Wealth Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.5% in the third quarter. Barlow Wealth Partners LLC now owns 36,354 shares of the retailer's stock worth $34,016,000 after buying an additional 899 shares during the period. Finally, Saxony Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 11.3% in the third quarter. Saxony Capital Management LLC now owns 926 shares of the retailer's stock worth $843,000 after buying an additional 94 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Activity

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 1,100 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $958.21, for a total transaction of $1,054,031.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 3,094 shares in the company, valued at $2,964,701.74. This trade represents a 26.23% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,200 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $915.93, for a total transaction of $2,015,046.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 7,134 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,534,244.62. The trade was a 23.57% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Mizuho lowered their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,065.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, September 25th. Robert W. Baird set a $1,175.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $950.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, September 25th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Costco Wholesale from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research report on Thursday, October 8th. Finally, UBS Group reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, September 17th. Twenty-four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,087.40.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

NASDAQ:COST opened at $989.11 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,096.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11. The company has a market capitalization of $438.30 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.64, a P/E/G ratio of 4.18 and a beta of 0.88. The stock's fifty day moving average is $933.15 and its two-hundred day moving average is $963.28.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, September 24th. The retailer reported $6.75 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $6.54 by $0.21. The business had revenue of $95.72 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $94.97 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 27.60% and a net margin of 3.04%. The company's revenue was up 11.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $5.87 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 22.70 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 30th will be 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 is Friday, October 30th. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 28.32%.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: September sales accelerated: Costco reported September net sales of $30.02 billion, up 13% year over year, while digitally enabled sales increased 19%. The results reinforce the strength of Costco’s membership model, e-commerce business and value-focused offering. September Sales Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support remains strong: Tigress Financial reiterated a Buy rating while setting a $1,065 price target after previously publicizing a higher $1,250 target. Other coverage highlights Costco’s sales growth, membership loyalty and digital gains, supporting the recent recovery above key moving averages. Tigress Financial Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend maintained: Costco declared a quarterly dividend of $1.47 per share, payable November 13 to shareholders of record October 30. While the approximately 0.6% yield is modest, the payment signals continued cash-flow strength. Costco Dividend Announcement
• Positive Sentiment: Expansion pipeline: Proposed warehouse projects in Macon and Oakland, along with a planned Merced County relocation, point to continued investment in Costco’s store network. Infrastructure financing of up to $30 million could support the Macon development. Macon Costco Project
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco’s fiscal 2027 executive bonus plan adds sustainability-related measures. The change may support long-term operational goals, but it is unlikely to materially affect near-term earnings. Costco Executive Bonus Update
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and macro risks remain: Costco trades at a high earnings multiple, leaving the stock vulnerable if growth or membership trends slow. Persistent inflation and potentially higher interest rates could also pressure consumer spending and market valuations.
• Negative Sentiment: An executive sold 1,100 shares worth approximately $1.05 million. The transaction is relatively small compared with Costco’s market value, but it may add a modest cautionary signal for investors. Costco Insider Sale

About Costco Wholesale

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a membership-based warehouse retail business under the Costco name. The company sells a broad selection of merchandise, including groceries, fresh foods, beverages, appliances, electronics, furniture, apparel, jewelry, hardware, and seasonal products. It also offers services such as gasoline, pharmacies, optical departments, hearing-aid centers, food courts, travel services, and business delivery in selected markets.

Costco markets many products under its private-label Kirkland Signature brand and sells merchandise through warehouse locations and e-commerce platforms.

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