Earned Wealth Advisors LLC Purchases 1,332 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Earned Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its Costco stake by 47.6% in Q4, buying 1,332 shares to hold 4,131 shares worth about $3.56 million.
• Costco raised its quarterly dividend ~13% to $1.47 (annualized $5.88), payable May 15 with record date May 1, signaling strong cash flow and management confidence.
• Costco slightly beat quarterly estimates (EPS $4.58 vs. $4.55; revenue $69.6B vs. $68.96B), and analysts remain largely bullish with a consensus "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of about $1,046.

Earned Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 47.6% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 4,131 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 1,332 shares during the quarter. Earned Wealth Advisors LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $3,562,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Busey Bank grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.4% in the 3rd quarter. Busey Bank now owns 2,651 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,454,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Pasadena Private Wealth LLC grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. Pasadena Private Wealth LLC now owns 1,403 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,299,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Tandem Investment Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% in the 3rd quarter. Tandem Investment Partners LLC now owns 990 shares of the retailer's stock worth $916,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Optima Capital LLC grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.9% in the 3rd quarter. Optima Capital LLC now owns 1,192 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,104,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Gratus Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. Gratus Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,399 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,295,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

COST has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated an "outperform" rating and issued a $1,155.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, February 9th. TD Cowen reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,103.00 to $1,104.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,110.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday. Finally, Bank of America assumed coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, February 27th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $1,185.00 price target on the stock. Twenty-two 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.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,045.97.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated 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 sale, 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 document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total transaction of $838,321.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 4,228 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,169,907.28. This trade represents a 16.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:COST opened at $999.89 on Monday. The company's 50-day moving average is $995.74 and its 200 day moving average is $945.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 1.06. The company has a market capitalization of $443.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 52.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.93 and a beta of 0.99. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,067.08.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $4.02 EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st will be issued a $1.47 dividend. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is presently 27.04%.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco raised its quarterly dividend ~13% to $1.47 (payable May 15; record May 1), a sign of strong cash flow and management confidence that lifted investor sentiment. Costco Raises Its Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: Major banks bumped price targets — JPMorgan raised its PT to $1,110 and Mizuho to $1,100 while keeping bullish ratings, signaling analyst conviction in upside vs. current levels. JPMorgan Adjusts PT Mizuho Adjusts PT
• Positive Sentiment: Operational and sales momentum: Costco reported strong March net sales and recent quarterly results that beat expectations, reinforcing growth and margin resilience. Analysts cite that momentum as part of the bull case alongside the dividend move. Bull Case for Costco
• Positive Sentiment: Product exclusives and in-warehouse surprises — Costco continues to roll out exclusive large-format items and even popular fast-food products that drive foot traffic and impulse buys. These merchandising wins help differentiate membership value. Costco Adds Fast-Food Product Exclusive Aussie Product
• Neutral Sentiment: Checkout and store tech improvements (automated pay stations, AI pricing/markdowns) aim to speed throughput and reduce perishables waste; these are positive long-term but will take time to scale. Automated Pay Stations Grocers Use AI
• Neutral Sentiment: Competitive dynamics: Sam’s Club and BJ’s are making localized gains and Sam’s Club fee moves could reshape pricing among warehouse clubs; this could benefit Costco if it retains perceived value, but it’s an evolving factor. Competitors Gaining Traction Sam's Club Fees
• Negative Sentiment: Fuel sales are elevated (adds revenue/traffic), but analysts warn there’s a caveat around margins and sensitivity to gas price swings; persistent high fuel/traffic volatility could dampen same-store trends. Gas Sales Catch

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.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding COST? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report).

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.