ProShare Advisors LLC Acquires 214,466 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• ProShare Advisors LLC increased its Costco stake by 38.6% in the fourth quarter, buying 214,466 additional shares and bringing its total holdings to 769,624 shares worth about $663.7 million.
• Costco continues to draw strong institutional and analyst support: institutional investors own 68.48% of the stock, and analysts currently rate it a consensus “Moderate Buy” with an average price target of $1,047.27.
• The retailer posted solid recent results and shareholder returns, with quarterly EPS and revenue both beating expectations and a dividend increase to $1.47 per share, up from $1.30.

ProShare Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 38.6% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 769,624 shares of the retailer's stock after acquiring an additional 214,466 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale accounts for approximately 1.2% of ProShare Advisors LLC's investment portfolio, making the stock its 13th biggest position. ProShare Advisors LLC owned about 0.17% of Costco Wholesale worth $663,678,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the business. Warner Group LLC boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 3.5% in the fourth quarter. Warner Group LLC now owns 585 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $505,000 after acquiring an additional 20 shares during the period. Radnor Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 3.6% in the fourth quarter. Radnor Capital Management LLC now owns 1,422 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,226,000 after acquiring an additional 50 shares during the period. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 31.3% in the fourth quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 34,113 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $29,410,000 after acquiring an additional 8,127 shares during the period. Gambit Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth about $617,000. Finally, Verde Capital Management lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 15.6% during the fourth quarter. Verde Capital Management now owns 3,126 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,696,000 after purchasing an additional 423 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms recently weighed in on COST. UBS Group set a $1,175.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, March 6th. DA Davidson reaffirmed a "neutral" rating and set a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, April 10th. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,171.00 to $1,088.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Mizuho upped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,065.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 16th. Finally, Bank of America began coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, February 27th. They set a "buy" rating and a $1,185.00 price objective for the company. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,047.27.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 2.6%

COST stock opened at $1,076.47 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $477.58 billion, a P/E ratio of 55.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.16 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 12 month low of $844.06 and a 12 month high of $1,079.83. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $1,002.78 and a 200-day moving average price of $956.31.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations 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% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $4.02 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st were issued a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.5%. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 30.58%.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the stock in a transaction dated 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 owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco reported strong April sales, with net sales up 13.0% year over year, comparable sales rising 11.6%, and digital sales climbing 18.8%, reinforcing its reputation as a defensive retailer benefiting from value-focused consumer spending. Costco's April Sales Reinforce Its Case as the Ultimate Defensive Stock
• Positive Sentiment: The company boosted its quarterly dividend by 13% to $1.47 per share, a signal of confidence in cash generation that can attract income-oriented investors. Costco (COST) Surges to New 52-Week Peak Following Strong Dividend Boost
• Positive Sentiment: Several articles framed Costco as a breakout candidate after its recent rally, with commentary pointing to strong year-to-date momentum and a new 52-week high. Prediction: The Stage is Set for a Costco Stock Breakout
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is also gaining attention for product expansion and brand strength, including a test of new chicken strips in food courts and a broader rollout of mixsoon skincare products across U.S. warehouse locations. Costco is testing chicken strips in food courts and customers say they’re ginormous
• Neutral Sentiment: One article highlighted a legal issue tied to a disability discrimination verdict, which adds some headline risk but appears smaller than the company’s sales and dividend positives. How Investors Are Reacting To Costco Wholesale (COST) Double‑Digit April Sales, Florida Expansion And Jury Verdict
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary remains constructive overall, with coverage describing Costco as resilient and well positioned, but these pieces mainly reinforce an already favorable narrative rather than introducing a new catalyst. The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights Costco, Coca-Cola, AstraZeneca and Franklin Financial Services

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.

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