Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC Boosts Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC raised its stake in Costco by 8.8% in Q4 to 74,734 shares (about $64.45 million), making COST the firm's 20th-largest holding.
• Costco increased its quarterly dividend to $1.47 (annualized $5.88, yield ~0.6%, ex-dividend May 1) and reported a slight quarterly EPS beat ($4.58 vs. $4.55) with revenue of $69.6B, up 9.2% year-over-year, helped by membership fee tailwinds.
• Analysts remain mostly positive: MarketBeat shows a consensus "Moderate Buy" (22 Buys, 11 Holds, 1 Sell) with an average price target near $1,046 and some bullish targets up to $1,315.

Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 8.8% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 74,734 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 6,068 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale accounts for 0.8% of Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC's holdings, making the stock its 20th biggest position. Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $64,446,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Hurley Capital LLC lifted its stake in shares of 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 buying an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter worth about $34,000. Collier Financial purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter worth about $35,000. AXS Investments LLC purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter worth about $36,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter worth about $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the firm'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 completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This trade 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 accessible through this link. Insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

COST has been the topic of several research reports. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $1,050.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Costco Wholesale from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 17th. Bank of America initiated coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, February 27th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $1,185.00 price target on the stock. Roth Mkm reissued a "sell" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets raised their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,045.97.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Board raised the quarterly cash dividend to $1.47 (annualized $5.88), signaling confidence in cash flow and making the stock more attractive to income-focused investors. Costco (COST) Approves Quarterly Dividend Increase Amid Robust Sales Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage highlights that the September 2024 membership fee hike is now fully flowing into 2026 results, helping margin expansion and supporting recent EPS beats — a direct earnings tailwind. Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST): One of the Best Safe Stocks for Beginner Investors
• Positive Sentiment: Company continues to open new warehouses, plus a Costco Business Center and fuel station win that should boost regional sales and commercial accounts over time. Expansion supports long-term same-store growth and membership value. Costco aims for dozens more warehouses in coming years: Here’s when the newest open
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple commentary pieces debate valuation: some say near-$1,000 price is justified by cash generation and resilience, others warn the stock looks expensive — this debate can mute buying momentum. Is Costco's Stock Too Expensive Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: Market-note pieces pointing to recent intraday moves and the stock’s position relative to its all-time high are creating short-term trading interest but not new fundamental news. Costco (COST) Ascends While Market Falls: Some Facts to Note
• Negative Sentiment: Sam’s Club launched initiatives touted as reasons some members might switch, renewing concerns about competitive pressure on membership growth and price-driven traffic. Sam's Club just gave members a reason to ditch Costco
• Negative Sentiment: Rivals such as BJ’s are expanding into new markets (e.g., Texas), adding localized competition that could pressure price or fuel margins in certain regions. New BJ's locations Texas: Club rivaling Costco, Sam's expands to Texas

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $1,011.15 on Monday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12-month low of $844.06 and a 12-month high of $1,067.08. The stock has a market cap of $448.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 52.58, a PEG ratio of 4.98 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $997.12 and a 200 day moving average price of $948.27. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $68.96 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $4.02 earnings per share. Costco Wholesale's revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st will be given a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 1st. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 27.04%.

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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