Michael Brady & Co. LLC Buys Shares of 1,396 Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Michael Brady & Co. LLC bought a new stake of 1,396 Costco shares in Q4 valued at about $1.204 million, making Costco roughly 1.2% of the firm's portfolio and its 13th-largest holding.
• Costco raised its quarterly dividend by ~13% to $1.47 (annualized $5.88), with an ex-dividend date of May 1 and payment on May 15, reflecting an annual yield of about 0.6%.
• Wall Street sentiment is a consensus "Moderate Buy" with an average price target of $1,045.97 (22 Buys, 11 Holds, 1 Sell), and Costco recently beat Q results (EPS $4.58 vs. $4.55; revenue $69.6B vs. $68.96B).

Michael Brady & Co. LLC bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 1,396 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $1,204,000. Costco Wholesale makes up approximately 1.2% of Michael Brady & Co. LLC's investment portfolio, making the stock its 13th largest position.

Other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Hurley Capital LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Collier Financial acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $35,000. AXS Investments LLC acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insiders Place Their Bets

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

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have issued reports on COST. Citigroup reaffirmed a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Weiss Ratings raised Costco Wholesale from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 17th. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,171.00 to $1,088.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Telsey Advisory Group upped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Finally, Raymond James Financial upped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,045.97.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco announced a ~13% raise to its quarterly dividend (to $1.47), a direct cash-return boost that typically supports the share price and appeals to income-focused investors. Costco quietly bumps its quarterly dividend by 13%
• Positive Sentiment: Management is accelerating physical expansion plans (new club openings/market entries), which supports revenue growth and longer-term member additions. Expansion news tends to be viewed favorably for growth visibility. Costco ramps up expansion plans
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s digital investments (app growth, personalization, faster-checkout pilots) are lifting digitally-enabled comparable sales (reported strong growth), which supports margin and same-store sales momentum. Costco's Digital Investments Drive Sales Growth: What Comes Next?
• Positive Sentiment: An analyst price target was raised to $1,110, providing an optimistic valuation reference that can lend support to the stock. Costco Wholesale NASDAQ: COST Price Target Raised to $1,110.00
• Neutral Sentiment: Explainers about how Costco membership pricing and in-club pricing mechanics work may influence consumer behavior but are unlikely to move the stock materially on their own. Why The Listed Price Of A Costco Membership Isn't Always What You Pay
• Neutral Sentiment: Small institutional trimming: a SEC filing shows a very modest sale (617 shares) by a small holder — immaterial to consensus positioning. Baskin Financial Services Inc. Sells 617 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST
• Neutral Sentiment: Retail competition updates (Walmart remodels, Dollar General dynamics, Target strength) create a mixed competitive backdrop—important context but not a direct negative to Costco’s near-term momentum. Walmart Expands and Modernizes Stores to Support Omnichannel Growth
• Negative Sentiment: Several analysts and commentary pieces argue Costco’s growth and compounding returns are largely priced in, noting the stock trades at a premium and offering limited upside — a valuation headwind that can cap near-term gains. Costco: When Compounding Is Already Priced In
• Negative Sentiment: Market commentary questioning whether COST is overvalued at current levels (articles asking “still a buy?”) may pressure sentiment among valuation-sensitive investors. Costco at $1,000: Still a Buy or Time to Wait?

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of COST opened at $997.84 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $442.69 billion, a P/E ratio of 51.89, a PEG ratio of 4.93 and a beta of 0.99. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $995.75 and a 200 day moving average price of $945.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.59. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,067.08.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion during 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 firm's revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $4.02 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

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