Evolve Private Wealth LLC Takes Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Evolve Private Wealth LLC opened a new position in Costco, buying 9,240 shares worth about $7.97 million in the fourth quarter.
• Wall Street remains broadly bullish on Costco, with 22 Buy ratings and an average Moderate Buy consensus price target of $1,060.41.
• Costco recently reported quarterly earnings of $4.93 per share, narrowly missing estimates, while revenue came in at $70.53 billion and the company also raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share.

Evolve Private Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund acquired 9,240 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $7,968,000.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of COST. Hurley Capital LLC grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares during the period. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at $33,000. Imprint Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter valued at $36,000. Finally, eCIO Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter valued at $39,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on COST. UBS Group boosted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 20th. Mizuho set a $1,100.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,088.00 to $1,159.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. HC Wainwright restated a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group lifted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,060.41.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 2.1%

COST opened at $965.59 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 1.07. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,096.50. The firm's fifty day moving average is $1,003.00 and its 200 day moving average is $968.87. The stock has a market cap of $428.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.57, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.78 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. The firm had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $4.28 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st were paid a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is presently 29.58%.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market commentary pointed to Costco’s rising traffic, strong comparable sales, and gas-related member engagement as evidence that its value proposition continues to drive repeat visits and support growth. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Costco was included in a list of earnings-acceleration stocks, with commentary noting rising EPS growth trends that can precede stronger share performance. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: A separate article argued that Costco remains a durable long-term “buy and hold” business because of its loyal customer base and membership-driven model. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Several lifestyle pieces mentioned Costco shopping habits and product preferences, but these articles are not likely to materially affect the stock. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary comparing Costco with Walmart and asking whether the stock can break $1,100 by 2027 mainly reflects valuation debate rather than a clear near-term catalyst. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: One market note said Costco fell alongside other retail stocks even as lower gas prices and a broader oil-related relief theme were discussed, suggesting some short-term weakness may be driven by sector rotation rather than fundamentals. 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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