Journey Advisory Group LLC Sells 1,151 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Journey Advisory Group LLC cut its Costco stake by 9.8%, selling 1,151 shares in the fourth quarter and now holding 10,539 shares valued at about $9.09 million.
• Costco slightly beat quarterly estimates with $4.58 EPS versus $4.55 expected and reported $69.6 billion in revenue (up 9.2% YoY); analysts hold a "Moderate Buy" consensus with an average target of $1,045.97.
• Dividend increase: Costco raised its quarterly dividend roughly 13% to $1.47 (annualized $5.88), payable May 15, implying a ~0.6% yield.

Journey Advisory Group LLC lessened its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 9.8% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 10,539 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 1,151 shares during the quarter. Journey Advisory Group LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $9,089,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Godsey & Gibb Inc. grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.7% during the 4th quarter. Godsey & Gibb Inc. now owns 26,801 shares of the retailer's stock worth $23,112,000 after acquiring an additional 182 shares in the last quarter. Prasad Wealth Partners LLC grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 39.3% in the fourth quarter. Prasad Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,219 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,051,000 after purchasing an additional 344 shares in the last quarter. Davidson Investment Advisors increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 18.9% in the 4th quarter. Davidson Investment Advisors now owns 1,055 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $910,000 after buying an additional 168 shares during the last quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 7.3% during the 4th quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. now owns 186,468 shares of the retailer's stock worth $160,763,000 after buying an additional 12,636 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Vision Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 6.4% during the 4th quarter. Vision Capital Management Inc. now owns 13,337 shares of the retailer's stock worth $11,501,000 after buying an additional 808 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $999.89 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.59. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $995.74 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $945.03. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,067.08. The company has a market capitalization of $443.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.00, a P/E/G ratio of 4.93 and a beta of 0.99.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. The firm 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 company'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. Research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS 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 paid a $1.47 dividend. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 27.04%.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total value of $838,321.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 4,228 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $4,169,907.28. This represents a 16.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the 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 owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This trade represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have weighed in on the company. UBS Group set a $1,175.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and set a $1,155.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Gordon Haskett lifted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Oppenheimer boosted their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Citigroup reaffirmed a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, February 20th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,045.97.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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.

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