Davies Financial Advisors Inc. Trims Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Davies Financial Advisors trimmed its stake by 55.2%, selling 1,149 shares and leaving 933 shares of Costco worth $805,000, making COST its 16th largest holding.
• Costco raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 (annualized $5.88) from $1.30, with an ex-dividend date of May 1 and a yield of about 0.6%.
• The company beat quarterly expectations (EPS $4.58 vs. $4.55; revenue $69.6B, +9.2% YoY), is targeting roughly 30 new warehouses per year, and holds a consensus "Moderate Buy" analyst rating with a ~ $1,046 price target.

Davies Financial Advisors Inc. trimmed its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 55.2% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 933 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 1,149 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale comprises 1.5% of Davies Financial Advisors Inc.'s portfolio, making the stock its 16th largest position. Davies Financial Advisors Inc.'s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $805,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Brighton Jones LLC grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 12.3% during the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 19,825 shares of the retailer's stock worth $18,165,000 after buying an additional 2,172 shares during the period. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 13.1% in the fourth quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,123 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,029,000 after acquiring an additional 130 shares in the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 4.5% in the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 3,853 shares of the retailer's stock worth $3,814,000 after acquiring an additional 165 shares in the last quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% in the second quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. now owns 2,110 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,089,000 after acquiring an additional 23 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Schnieders Capital Management LLC. increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.2% in the second quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 8,502 shares of the retailer's stock worth $8,416,000 after acquiring an additional 182 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 0.8%

COST opened at $1,005.81 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $446.23 billion, a PE ratio of 52.30, a P/E/G ratio of 4.92 and a beta of 0.99. The firm's fifty day moving average price is $996.44 and its 200 day moving average price is $946.24. 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 Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,067.08.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data 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 during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.Costco Wholesale's quarterly revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $4.02 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st will be given 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 is Friday, May 1st. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is 30.58%.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Company-wide expansion: Costco is targeting roughly 30 new warehouses per year to relieve overcrowding, expand member reach and drive long‑term sales growth. This accelerates capital deployment but supports higher unit volumes and membership growth. Costco plans major growth push, targeting 30 new locations annually
• Positive Sentiment: Local expansion example: A new Costco is planned for northeast Edmonton, underlining the company’s ongoing footprint growth in key markets and steady membership acquisition in Canada. A new Costco location is in the works for northeast Edmonton
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend boost: Costco raised its quarterly dividend by ~13%, signaling strong free cash flow and management confidence—this can attract income‑oriented investors and provide support to the stock’s valuation. As Costco Raises Its Dividend More Than 13%, Should You Buy, Sell, or Hold COST Stock?
• Positive Sentiment: Digital sales momentum: Costco’s digital investments are lifting sales and digitally enabled comps are rising, driven by app growth, personalization and faster‑checkout pilots—supporting higher same‑store sales and lower friction for members. Costco's Digital Investments Drive Sales Growth: What Comes Next?
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst sentiment: At least one outlet reports a raised price target (to $1,110), which can bolster investor sentiment and serve as a bullish reference point for momentum traders. Costco Wholesale NASDAQ: COST Price Target Raised to $1,110.00
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation perspective: Some analysts note that Costco’s steady compounding growth is well priced into the stock, signaling limited upside unless growth accelerates or margins expand. This is a reminder to weigh valuation vs. growth. Costco: When Compounding Is Already Priced In
• Neutral Sentiment: Competitive context: Retail peers (Walmart, Target, Dollar General) are also investing in stores and omnichannel, which could influence market share dynamics—monitor execution and margin impacts across the sector. Walmart Expands and Modernizes Stores to Support Omnichannel Growth

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. TD Cowen reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, March 6th. BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an "outperform" rating and issued a $1,155.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Gordon Haskett boosted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $1,050.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,045.97.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total value of $732,204.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly 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 SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

About Costco Wholesale

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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