Sageworth Trust Co Sells 2,230 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Sageworth Trust Co cut its stake in Costco by 83.6%, selling 2,230 shares in Q4 and now holds 437 shares valued at about $377,000.
• Costco reported continued momentum—April net sales of $23.92 billion (+13% YoY), quarterly EPS of $4.58 beating estimates and revenue of $69.60 billion (+9.2% YoY)—and analysts retain a consensus “Moderate Buy” with a $1,045.97 price target despite an elevated P/E of ~52.
• The company raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 (from $1.30), payable May 15 with an ex-dividend date of May 1, implying a $5.88 annualized payout and roughly a 0.6% yield.

Sageworth Trust Co lessened its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 83.6% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 437 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 2,230 shares during the quarter. Sageworth Trust Co's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $377,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Hurley Capital LLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the 3rd quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake 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 during the third quarter valued at about $35,000. Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at about $33,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth about $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

COST has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. UBS Group set a $1,175.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated an "outperform" rating and set a $1,155.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Finally, BTIG Research restated a "buy" rating and set a $1,115.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,045.97.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: April sales beat expectations — Costco reported April net sales of $23.92 billion, up 13.0% year‑over‑year, and net sales for the first 35 weeks rose 9.5% to $197.18 billion; U.S. comparable sales were +11.7% for the 4‑week period, supporting revenue momentum. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports April Sales Results
• Positive Sentiment: Higher gasoline prices are a tailwind — multiple reports note rising U.S. pump prices have lifted fuel sales and basket sizes at Costco, a meaningful near‑term boost to top‑line results. Costco reports strong sales for April as higher gas prices provide a lift
• Positive Sentiment: Ongoing expansion and fuel footprint — local development (new Milwaukee County warehouse) and recent gas station openings expand capacity and capture fuel margins and traffic. Construction starts soon on Costco's first Milwaukee County store after land deal Costco opens Camarillo gas station ahead of warehouse construction
• Neutral Sentiment: Prepared remarks/transcript available — the company’s period‑ending/trading statement prepared remarks were posted; they summarize results but did not (in reports) include major guidance changes that would materially alter the outlook. Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) Period Ending/ Trading Statement Call Prepared Remarks Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Minor merchandising and menu updates — product launches and a change to the hot‑dog combo may help customer experience and traffic but are unlikely to move near‑term results materially. The Best New Costco Groceries Hitting Shelves This Month Costco just changed its famous $1.50 hot dog combo. Here’s what’s new
• Negative Sentiment: Shares slid amid a broader market rally — despite the sales beat and gas tailwind, investors sold into strength; the move looks like profit‑taking/rotation after COST’s strong YTD performance. Costco (COST) Stock Slides as Market Rises: Facts to Know Before You Trade
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and industry caution — COST’s valuation is elevated (P/E ~52, PEG ~5) and Moody’s warns of a challenging retail backdrop; stretched multiples and any slowdown in discretionary spending could pressure the stock. Walmart, Costco poised to win amid unfavorable retail environment

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of Costco Wholesale 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 transaction of $732,204.60. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. This trade represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Costco Wholesale Trading Down 2.0%

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $995.75 on Thursday. The company's 50-day moving average price is $997.75 and its 200-day moving average price is $950.96. 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 $1,067.08. The company has a market cap of $441.77 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.78, a PEG ratio of 5.01 and a beta of 0.92.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $69.60 billion during 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%.The firm's quarterly revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $4.02 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st will be paid a $1.47 dividend. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is currently 30.58%.

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.

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.