Oak Ridge Investments LLC Buys 1,496 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Oak Ridge Investments raised its stake in Costco by 7.3% in the 4th quarter, buying 1,496 shares to hold 22,117 shares worth about $19.07 million, representing roughly 1.2% of its portfolio and its 16th largest holding.
• Costco posted a narrow earnings beat (EPS $4.58 vs. $4.55) and revenue of $69.6 billion (+9.2% YoY); the stock has a market cap of $435.15 billion, a P/E of 51.01, and a consensus analyst rating of “Moderate Buy” with a $1,043.13 price target.
• Operational tailwinds include a first membership-fee increase in seven years and higher gas prices boosting fuel sales and foot traffic, while Costco also pays a quarterly dividend of $1.30 ($5.20 annualized, ~0.5% yield).

Oak Ridge Investments LLC raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 7.3% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 22,117 shares of the retailer's stock after buying an additional 1,496 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale accounts for approximately 1.2% of Oak Ridge Investments LLC's portfolio, making the stock its 16th biggest holding. Oak Ridge Investments LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $19,072,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of COST. Hurley Capital LLC increased 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 purchasing an additional 18 shares during the period. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter worth about $34,000. Collier Financial bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter worth about $35,000. AXS Investments LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter worth about $36,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter worth about $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Higher gas prices are boosting Costco's fuel sales and foot traffic, lifting March sales and card usage; that can boost membership value, fuel margin and ancillary spending per visit. Higher Gas Prices Are Already Having a Positive Impact on Costco's Sales
• Positive Sentiment: Costco recently raised membership fees for the first time in seven years — a direct tailwind to recurring revenue and margin per member. Investors typically view fee increases as durable cash flow support. Costco raised membership fees for the first time in 7 years
• Positive Sentiment: Brokerage coverage remains constructive — a consensus "Moderate Buy" was reported, supporting demand from investor channels that track analyst ratings. Costco Given Consensus Rating of "Moderate Buy"
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks and others highlight Costco as a strong growth stock, citing international comp strength and multi-year growth runway — these narratives support premium valuation multiples. Here's Why Costco (COST) is a Strong Growth Stock
• Positive Sentiment: International comps (Other International) are accelerating versus the U.S., signaling diversification of growth and less dependence on U.S. same-store traffic. Costco's International Sales Surge Signals Shift in Growth Mix
• Neutral Sentiment: Brand and merchandising buzz — viral $10 logo tees and human-interest pieces about niche bestsellers in Japan — boost traffic/PR but are unlikely to materially move near-term earnings. Costco launches $10 logo tee
• Neutral Sentiment: Operational items like local hiring (Pensacola jobs posting) and founder anecdotes about Japan underline the company culture and international adaptation but are peripheral to valuation. How to apply for jobs at Pensacola Costco
• Negative Sentiment: Some coverage questions whether Costco's recent pullback warrants a reassessment — the stock has slipped vs. its 50‑day moving average and retail weakness could pressure short-term momentum. That bearish framing can amplify selling in a soft market. Is It Time To Reassess Costco Wholesale (COST)?

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 1.8%

NASDAQ:COST opened at $980.85 on Tuesday. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $995.75 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $943.13. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,067.08. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 1.06. The company has a market cap of $435.15 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.01, a P/E/G ratio of 4.92 and a beta of 0.99.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 5th. 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 return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $4.02 EPS. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 30th were issued 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 yield of 0.5%. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is currently 27.04%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

COST has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,103.00 to $1,104.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Citigroup reissued a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Bank of America assumed coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, February 27th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $1,185.00 price objective on the stock. Evercore set a $1,100.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,043.13.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other news, Director Susan L. Decker sold 458 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $955.00, for a total value of $437,390.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 8,532 shares of the company's stock, valued at $8,148,060. This represents a 5.09% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the stock in a transaction 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 transaction, 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 position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 3,538 shares of company stock worth $3,416,416 in the last quarter. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

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.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding COST? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report).

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.