Wealth Enhancement Trust Services Inc. Purchases New Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• Wealth Enhancement Trust Services Inc. established a new position in Costco by buying 5,972 shares in Q4, valued at about $5.15 million per its latest Form 13F filing.
• Costco raised its quarterly dividend to $1.47 (from $1.30), payable May 15, reflecting strong cash flow; the new annualized dividend is $5.88 (yield ~0.6%).
• Costco beat quarterly expectations with $4.58 EPS (vs. $4.55 est.) and $69.6B revenue (+9.2% YoY), and analysts remain broadly positive with a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a target near $1,046.

Wealth Enhancement Trust Services Inc. purchased a new stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor purchased 5,972 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $5,150,000.

Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of COST. Hurley Capital LLC grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth approximately $34,000. Collier Financial acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $35,000. AXS Investments LLC bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at $36,000. Finally, Imprint Wealth LLC bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total transaction of $838,321.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 4,228 shares in the company, valued at $4,169,907.28. This represents a 16.74% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the 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 completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

COST has been the topic of several recent research reports. Citigroup reiterated a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, February 20th. Oppenheimer boosted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Mizuho lifted their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,065.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday. BTIG Research restated a "buy" rating and set a $1,115.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, Bank of America initiated coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, February 27th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $1,185.00 price target for the company. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,045.97.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 1.3%

Shares of COST stock opened at $999.89 on Friday. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $995.74 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $944.84. The company has a market cap of $443.60 billion, a PE ratio of 52.00, a P/E/G ratio of 4.86 and a beta of 0.99. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two 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.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly 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. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The company had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $4.02 EPS. Costco Wholesale's revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm 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 dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 1st. This is a positive change from Costco Wholesale's previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is presently 30.58%.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco raised its quarterly dividend ~13% to $1.47 (payable May 15; record May 1), a sign of strong cash flow and management confidence that lifted investor sentiment. Costco Raises Its Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: Major banks bumped price targets — JPMorgan raised its PT to $1,110 and Mizuho to $1,100 while keeping bullish ratings, signaling analyst conviction in upside vs. current levels. JPMorgan Adjusts PT Mizuho Adjusts PT
• Positive Sentiment: Operational and sales momentum: Costco reported strong March net sales and recent quarterly results that beat expectations, reinforcing growth and margin resilience. Analysts cite that momentum as part of the bull case alongside the dividend move. Bull Case for Costco
• Positive Sentiment: Product exclusives and in-warehouse surprises — Costco continues to roll out exclusive large-format items and even popular fast-food products that drive foot traffic and impulse buys. These merchandising wins help differentiate membership value. Costco Adds Fast-Food Product Exclusive Aussie Product
• Neutral Sentiment: Checkout and store tech improvements (automated pay stations, AI pricing/markdowns) aim to speed throughput and reduce perishables waste; these are positive long-term but will take time to scale. Automated Pay Stations Grocers Use AI
• Neutral Sentiment: Competitive dynamics: Sam’s Club and BJ’s are making localized gains and Sam’s Club fee moves could reshape pricing among warehouse clubs; this could benefit Costco if it retains perceived value, but it’s an evolving factor. Competitors Gaining Traction Sam's Club Fees
• Negative Sentiment: Fuel sales are elevated (adds revenue/traffic), but analysts warn there’s a caveat around margins and sensitivity to gas price swings; persistent high fuel/traffic volatility could dampen same-store trends. Gas Sales Catch

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.