SNS Financial Group LLC Buys 1,379 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• SNS Financial Group LLC increased its stake in Costco by 94.3% in Q4, buying 1,379 shares to hold 2,842 shares valued at roughly $2.45 million.
• Costco raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 (annualized $5.88) with an ex-dividend date of May 1 and a yield of about 0.6%.
• Costco beat quarterly EPS expectations ($4.58 vs. $4.55) and reported revenue up 9.2% to $69.6 billion; analysts hold a consensus "Moderate Buy" with an average target around $1,046.

SNS Financial Group LLC grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 94.3% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 2,842 shares of the retailer's stock after buying an additional 1,379 shares during the period. SNS Financial Group LLC's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $2,451,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of COST. Brighton Jones LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 12.3% during the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 19,825 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $18,165,000 after buying an additional 2,172 shares during the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 13.1% during the fourth quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,123 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,029,000 after buying an additional 130 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 4.5% during the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 3,853 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $3,814,000 after buying an additional 165 shares during the last quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% during the second quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. now owns 2,110 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $2,089,000 after buying an additional 23 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Schnieders Capital Management LLC. raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.2% during the second quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 8,502 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $8,416,000 after buying an additional 182 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $1,014.53 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $450.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.76, a PEG ratio of 4.92 and a beta of 0.99. The firm's fifty day moving average is $996.93 and its 200 day moving average is $949.91. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,067.08.

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 for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The business had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $4.02 earnings per share. The business's revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st will be given a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. This is a positive change 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 30.58%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the business's stock in a transaction 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 owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms recently issued reports on COST. TD Cowen reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. DA Davidson reaffirmed a "neutral" rating and set a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, April 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,110.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Friday, April 17th. Finally, Roth Mkm reaffirmed a "sell" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,045.97.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentators note Costco is converting more members into higher‑fee Executive members and maintaining strong renewal rates, reinforcing recurring revenue and margin resilience. Better Buy: Walmart or Costco Stock
• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan-backed coverage argues Costco is dramatically cheaper than traditional grocers on basket prices, suggesting the chain is winning share amid price sensitivity—good for traffic and membership value proposition. Costco Is '60% Cheaper Than Traditional Grocery,' Says JPMorgan—And The Price War Is Getting One-Sided
• Positive Sentiment: Hiring ahead of a new Guilderland warehouse opening signals continued square‑footage growth and incremental membership/merchandising upside. Costco begins hiring as opening of Guilderland warehouse nears
• Positive Sentiment: Brand recognition and PR momentum: Costco is featured in Time’s listing (visibility that supports merchandising and membership perception). Costco Wholesale
• Positive Sentiment: Market commentators and Jim Cramer highlight Costco’s steady performance, management’s “first to lower, last to raise” pricing posture and its ability to attract value‑seeking shoppers during choppy macro conditions. Jim Cramer sends a message on Costco stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Promotions and seasonal merchandising (Dyson vacuum discount, patio furniture and other roundup pieces) may drive short‑term traffic but are routine—supportive for comp sales but not material long term. Costco is taking $150 off a Dyson Animal cordless vacuum through early May 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco quietly modified its long‑running $1.50 hot‑dog combo (format change but price unchanged); mostly a PR story about value signaling rather than immediate financial impact. Costco Makes Changes to Its Famous Hot Dog Combo. It Could Be the Start of Something Big.
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation debate: pieces asking “Is it too late to buy Costco?” point to rich multiples (high P/E, strong YTD run) and limited near‑term upside relative to peers, which can cap the stock if growth expectations slip. Is It Too Late To Consider Costco Wholesale (COST) After Its Strong Year To Date Run?

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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