Gould Capital LLC Purchases 2,762 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Gould Capital LLC increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 339.7% in the fourth quarter, buying 2,762 additional shares and bringing its total to 3,575 shares worth about $3.08 million.
• Costco reported fiscal-quarter EPS of $4.93, missing estimates by $0.01, while revenue came in at $70.53 billion, slightly ahead of expectations. Analysts still expect the company to post 20.38 EPS for the current year.
• The company raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share from $1.30, equal to an annualized payout of $5.88 and a yield of about 0.6%. Costco also continues to draw broadly positive analyst sentiment, with a consensus rating of Moderate Buy.

Gould Capital LLC boosted its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 339.7% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 3,575 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 2,762 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale accounts for about 1.9% of Gould Capital LLC's holdings, making the stock its 20th biggest position. Gould Capital LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $3,083,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Hurley Capital LLC boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer's stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Entrust Financial LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth approximately $31,000. Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the fourth quarter worth approximately $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter worth approximately $34,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter worth approximately $36,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $982.35 on Friday. The business's fifty day simple moving average is $1,005.34 and its 200 day simple moving average is $966.74. The firm has a market capitalization of $435.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 49.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.73 and a beta of 0.88. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,096.50. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17.

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

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

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

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Erste Group Bank lifted its FY2026 and FY2027 earnings forecasts for Costco, signaling expectations for stronger profitability ahead.
• Positive Sentiment: Commentary in 24/7 Wall St. emphasized Costco’s membership-fee model as a resilient source of recurring revenue that can support long-term earnings growth.
• Positive Sentiment: Barchart coverage noted Costco as one of the retail names rewarding shareholders with a higher dividend, reinforcing the company’s capital-return appeal.
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage that Costco offers shopping without a membership in limited cases is mainly informational and not likely to materially affect the stock.
• Neutral Sentiment: The Iowa court decision involving a former Costco manager appears to be a legal headline with limited direct impact on the company’s overall financial outlook.
• Negative Sentiment: Bloomberg reported rising plastic input costs may lead to higher prices for consumer goods later this year, which could add inflation pressure to Costco’s retail environment and potentially squeeze margins or demand.

Analyst Ratings Changes

COST has been the topic of several recent research reports. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Telsey Advisory Group increased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Weiss Ratings raised Costco Wholesale from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "buy (b)" rating in a research note on Thursday, June 4th. Finally, HC Wainwright reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,060.41.

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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