PFG Advisors Has $12.13 Million Stock Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• PFG Advisors trimmed its position by 29.9% in Costco during Q4, selling 5,998 shares and leaving it with 14,064 shares valued at about $12.13 million.
• Costco raised its quarterly dividend ~13% to $1.47 (annualized $5.88, yield 0.6%); the ex-dividend date is May 1 and the dividend will be paid May 15.
• Recent quarter beat estimates with $4.58 EPS vs. $4.55 expected and $69.6B revenue (up 9.2% YoY), though the stock trades at a premium (P/E ~51.9) and carries an average analyst price target around $1,046 with a majority of Buy ratings.

PFG Advisors trimmed its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 29.9% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 14,064 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 5,998 shares during the period. PFG Advisors' holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $12,128,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Legacy Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 3.6% in the 4th quarter. Legacy Advisors LLC now owns 2,226 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,920,000 after acquiring an additional 77 shares during the last quarter. DSG Capital Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 4.7% in the 4th quarter. DSG Capital Advisors LLC now owns 9,600 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $9,185,000 after acquiring an additional 429 shares during the last quarter. Richards Merrill & Peterson Inc. raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 13.5% during the 4th quarter. Richards Merrill & Peterson Inc. now owns 12,680 shares of the retailer's stock worth $10,935,000 after purchasing an additional 1,505 shares during the last quarter. Benchmark Financial LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth $641,000. Finally, 55 North Private Wealth LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 4th quarter worth $1,008,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 0.2%

COST opened at $997.84 on Tuesday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $995.75 and a 200-day moving average price of $945.60. The firm has a market capitalization of $442.69 billion, a P/E ratio of 51.89, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.93 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 Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one 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 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $4.02 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 earnings per share 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 given a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend 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 presently 27.04%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $1,050.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Costco Wholesale from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 17th. Mizuho lifted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,065.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 16th. BTIG Research reissued a "buy" rating and set a $1,115.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Thursday, April 9th. 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, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,045.97.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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?

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total value of $838,321.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 4,228 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,169,907.28. The trade was a 16.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 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 transaction of $732,204.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. This trade represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

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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