Oak Harvest Investment Services Boosts Stock Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Oak Harvest Investment Services increased its stake in Costco by 68.0% in Q4 to 12,932 shares worth $11.152 million, making Costco 0.4% of the fund's portfolio and its 21st-largest holding.
• Costco raised its quarterly dividend about 13% to $1.47 (annualized $5.88, yield 0.6%; ex-dividend May 1, payable May 15) and recently topped quarterly earnings and revenue expectations, signaling continued operational momentum.
• Analyst sentiment is broadly positive — a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" with a target around $1,045.97 — and institutional ownership is high at roughly 68.5%, with multiple banks lifting price targets.

Oak Harvest Investment Services raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 68.0% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 12,932 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 5,236 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale makes up 0.4% of Oak Harvest Investment Services' investment portfolio, making the stock its 21st biggest holding. Oak Harvest Investment Services' holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $11,152,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Latitude Advisors LLC increased its position in Costco Wholesale by 7.8% during the 4th quarter. Latitude Advisors LLC now owns 375 shares of the retailer's stock worth $324,000 after purchasing an additional 27 shares during the period. OLD Second National Bank of Aurora increased its position in Costco Wholesale by 3.2% during the 4th quarter. OLD Second National Bank of Aurora now owns 2,718 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,344,000 after purchasing an additional 84 shares during the period. Moran Wealth Management LLC increased its position in Costco Wholesale by 4.4% during the 4th quarter. Moran Wealth Management LLC now owns 12,624 shares of the retailer's stock worth $10,886,000 after purchasing an additional 537 shares during the period. River Street Advisors LLC increased its position in Costco Wholesale by 1.6% during the 4th quarter. River Street Advisors LLC now owns 1,450 shares of the retailer's stock worth $1,250,000 after purchasing an additional 23 shares during the period. Finally, Tanager Wealth Management LLP increased its position in Costco Wholesale by 4.0% during the 4th quarter. Tanager Wealth Management LLP now owns 961 shares of the retailer's stock worth $829,000 after purchasing an additional 37 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related 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 sale, 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 position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 9th. The shares were 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. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

COST opened at $999.89 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $443.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 52.00, a P/E/G ratio of 4.86 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. The stock's 50 day simple moving average is $995.74 and its 200 day simple moving average is $944.84. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,067.08.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The company's revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $4.02 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced 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 represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 1st. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is currently 30.58%.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

COST has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Daiwa Securities Group boosted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 10th. UBS Group set a $1,175.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Costco Wholesale from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 17th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,110.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Friday. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,045.97.

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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