Heritage Investors Management Corp Has $23.27 Million Stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Heritage Investors Management Corp increased its Costco stake by 12.4% in the fourth quarter, adding 2,970 shares to bring its total to 26,984 shares worth about $23.27 million.
• Institutional ownership in Costco remains high, with 68.48% of shares held by institutional investors and hedge funds. Several other firms also modestly increased their holdings during the period.
• Analysts remain broadly positive on Costco, with an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,052.60, while the stock recently traded near $1,050 and the company posted solid quarterly results and a higher dividend.

Heritage Investors Management Corp grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 12.4% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 26,984 shares of the retailer's stock after buying an additional 2,970 shares during the quarter. Heritage Investors Management Corp's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $23,269,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Brown Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 3.7% during the 3rd quarter. Brown Wealth Management LLC now owns 305 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $282,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Caliber Wealth Management LLC KS lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.7% during the 3rd quarter. Caliber Wealth Management LLC KS now owns 655 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $606,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Somerset Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter. Somerset Group LLC now owns 4,220 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $3,906,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Hughes Financial Services LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 4.3% during the 3rd quarter. Hughes Financial Services LLC now owns 268 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $245,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank & Trust Co lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 18.3% during the 4th quarter. Bank & Trust Co now owns 71 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $61,000 after buying an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on COST shares. Roth Mkm reiterated a "sell" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Truist Financial raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $926.00 to $977.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Raymond James Financial raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,052.60.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 2.2%

Shares of COST stock opened at $1,050.45 on Friday. The stock's 50 day simple moving average is $1,007.14 and its 200 day simple moving average is $959.65. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 1.06. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,096.50. The company has a market capitalization of $466.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 54.63, a PEG ratio of 5.28 and a beta of 0.92.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The company's revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $4.02 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.33 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st were given a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 30.58%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total value of $732,204.60. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts remain constructive on Costco heading into its Q3 update, with UBS raising its price target and reiterating a buy rating, citing expectations for another solid quarter and continued membership-driven resilience.
• Positive Sentiment: Several reports highlighted Costco’s strong 2026 run, including fresh all-time highs, continued expansion, and investor interest in the stock as a high-quality defensive retailer with steady renewal trends.
• Neutral Sentiment: Upcoming holiday trading hours and broader market comments are not company-specific, but they keep Costco in a generally supportive market backdrop as the Nasdaq and S&P 500 remain near record levels. Stock Market To Close For Memorial Day. Here Are Wall Street's Holiday Hours.
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco remains a focal point for traders ahead of earnings, with preview pieces suggesting expectations are already elevated and that the company may need only steady results, not a blowout, to support the stock. Costco Q3 Earnings Preview: Great Business With Limited Upside
• Negative Sentiment: Costco is falling largely in sympathy with Walmart after Walmart’s earnings and guidance disappointed investors, raising concerns that consumer spending is more pressured than expected and dragging on other big-box retailers. Costco Stock Dips After Walmart's Q1 Report: What's Going On?
• Negative Sentiment: Broader articles also point to Costco’s rich valuation and high expectations ahead of earnings, which could limit upside if the company merely meets forecasts rather than significantly beats them.

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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