Northern Financial Advisors Inc Sells 1,256 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Northern Financial Advisors cut its stake in Costco by 60.2%, selling 1,256 shares in Q4 and leaving 831 shares worth about $717,000.
• Costco raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 (≈13% increase), payable May 15 with an ex-dividend date of May 1, equating to a $5.88 annualized payout and a ~0.6% yield.
• Institutional ownership stands at 68.48% as several large funds (e.g., Amundi, Fisher, American Century, CalPERS) increased positions, and analysts rate the stock a "Moderate Buy" with an average price target of $1,045.97.

Northern Financial Advisors Inc decreased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 60.2% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 831 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 1,256 shares during the quarter. Northern Financial Advisors Inc's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $717,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Amundi grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 45.0% during the 3rd quarter. Amundi now owns 3,176,606 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,893,697,000 after buying an additional 986,182 shares in the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% during the 3rd quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 3,145,241 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,911,331,000 after buying an additional 34,826 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 8.5% during the 3rd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 1,619,703 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,499,246,000 after buying an additional 127,495 shares in the last quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.7% during the 3rd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 1,210,837 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,120,787,000 after buying an additional 8,259 shares in the last quarter. Finally, California Public Employees Retirement System grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 13.3% during the 3rd quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 1,160,702 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,074,381,000 after buying an additional 136,072 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Company-wide expansion: Costco is targeting roughly 30 new warehouses per year to relieve overcrowding, expand member reach and drive long‑term sales growth. This accelerates capital deployment but supports higher unit volumes and membership growth. Costco plans major growth push, targeting 30 new locations annually
• Positive Sentiment: Local expansion example: A new Costco is planned for northeast Edmonton, underlining the company’s ongoing footprint growth in key markets and steady membership acquisition in Canada. A new Costco location is in the works for northeast Edmonton
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend boost: Costco raised its quarterly dividend by ~13%, signaling strong free cash flow and management confidence—this can attract income‑oriented investors and provide support to the stock’s valuation. As Costco Raises Its Dividend More Than 13%, Should You Buy, Sell, or Hold COST Stock?
• Positive Sentiment: Digital sales momentum: Costco’s digital investments are lifting sales and digitally enabled comps are rising, driven by app growth, personalization and faster‑checkout pilots—supporting higher same‑store sales and lower friction for members. Costco's Digital Investments Drive Sales Growth: What Comes Next?
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst sentiment: At least one outlet reports a raised price target (to $1,110), which can bolster investor sentiment and serve as a bullish reference point for momentum traders. Costco Wholesale NASDAQ: COST Price Target Raised to $1,110.00
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation perspective: Some analysts note that Costco’s steady compounding growth is well priced into the stock, signaling limited upside unless growth accelerates or margins expand. This is a reminder to weigh valuation vs. growth. Costco: When Compounding Is Already Priced In
• Neutral Sentiment: Competitive context: Retail peers (Walmart, Target, Dollar General) are also investing in stores and omnichannel, which could influence market share dynamics—monitor execution and margin impacts across the sector. Walmart Expands and Modernizes Stores to Support Omnichannel Growth

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of COST stock opened at $1,005.81 on Wednesday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,067.08. The stock's 50-day moving average is $996.44 and its 200 day moving average is $946.24. The company has a market cap of $446.23 billion, a P/E ratio of 52.30, a PEG ratio of 4.92 and a beta of 0.99. 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 (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The company had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $4.02 earnings per share. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

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

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the stock in a transaction dated 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 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 filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

COST has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. UBS Group set a $1,175.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Rothschild & Co Redburn raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Telsey Advisory Group raised their price objective 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. Oppenheimer raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Mizuho raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,065.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 16th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,045.97.

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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