Northland Securities Inc. Purchases New Shares in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Northland Securities purchased a new stake in Costco (COST) of 1,136 shares valued at about $980,000 in Q4, representing 0.9% of Northland’s holdings and its 28th-largest position.
• Sell‑side coverage is broadly constructive with a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" (22 Buys, 11 Holds, 1 Sell) and an average price target of $1,043.13 after several recent price‑target increases.
• Costco reported a March sales beat (net sales up ~11.3% to $28.41B), but the shares trade at a premium (P/E ≈ 52) and insiders have sold roughly 3,538 shares (~$3.4M) over the past 90 days, highlighting valuation and insider‑selling considerations.

Northland Securities Inc. purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 1,136 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $980,000. Costco Wholesale comprises 0.9% of Northland Securities Inc.'s holdings, making the stock its 28th biggest holding.

A number of other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in COST. Hurley Capital LLC raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at about $34,000. Collier Financial bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at about $35,000. AXS Investments LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at about $36,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at about $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms recently issued reports on COST. Truist Financial raised their price target on Costco Wholesale from $926.00 to $977.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Rothschild & Co Redburn raised their price target on Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 17th. Evercore set a $1,100.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Gordon Haskett raised their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $1,050.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,043.13.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $939.00, for a total transaction of $1,408,500.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 44,837 shares of the company's stock, valued at $42,101,943. The trade was a 3.24% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the business's 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 in the company, valued at $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. Insiders sold 3,538 shares of company stock worth $3,416,416 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: March sales beat and traffic strength — Costco reported March net sales up ~11.3% to $28.41B with strong comps and digital growth, reinforcing momentum in membership, transactions and fuel-driven traffic. This is the main fundamental bullish catalyst supporting higher estimates for revenue and same-store sales. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Broker upgrades / price-target raises — Deutsche Bank, Telsey and Wells Fargo raised price targets (Deutsche to $1,104; Telsey to $1,135; Wells Fargo to $1,000), providing analyst support that can underpin upside in the shares. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: High-profile media/catalyst mentions — Jim Cramer highlighted two operational catalysts (e.g., fuel pricing and other retailer advantages), and viral consumer interest in Costco’s one-ounce gold bars and popular product finds is boosting brand visibility and short-term revenue upside. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: DA Davidson reiterates Neutral at $1,000 — the firm reaffirmed a neutral view with a target essentially in line with the stock’s level, suggesting limited near-term upside from that shop. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Media and retail write-ups continue to praise Costco’s long-term thesis — several outlets (The Motley Fool, Zacks, Yahoo lifestyle pieces) published favorable takes on Costco’s moat and product wins; these support sentiment but are longer‑term confirmation rather than immediate catalysts. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data shows no meaningful build — reported short interest was effectively zero in the latest snapshot, so short-covering or squeeze dynamics are not a near-term driver. (likely data/formatting artifact)
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation concerns — several analysts and commentary (e.g., Seeking Alpha, some sell-side notes) argue Costco’s premium multiple (~50x) is hard to justify, which can cap upside and prompt profit-taking after the sales beat. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Macro / headline-driven risk — broader market weakness (S&P futures reacting to geopolitical headlines) likely weighed on retail and large-cap retailers today and may have triggered sector-wide selling pressure that offset Costco’s positive sales print. Article Title

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ COST opened at $998.47 on Monday. The stock's 50-day moving average is $995.50 and its 200-day moving average is $942.86. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,067.08. The firm has a market cap of $442.97 billion, a P/E ratio of 51.92, a P/E/G 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 announced its earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.Costco Wholesale's revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $4.02 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 30th were given a dividend of $1.30 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 30th. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.5%. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is 27.04%.

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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