Global Retirement Partners LLC Purchases 3,831 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Global Retirement Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 24.1% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 19,726 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 3,831 shares during the quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $17,010,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Brown Wealth Management LLC raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 3.7% during the third quarter. Brown Wealth Management LLC now owns 305 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $282,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Caliber Wealth Management LLC KS raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 1.7% during the third quarter. Caliber Wealth Management LLC KS now owns 655 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $606,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Somerset Group LLC raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% during the third quarter. Somerset Group LLC now owns 4,220 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $3,906,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Hughes Financial Services LLC raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 4.3% during the third quarter. Hughes Financial Services LLC now owns 268 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $245,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank & Trust Co raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 18.3% during the fourth quarter. Bank & Trust Co now owns 71 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $61,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

NASDAQ:COST opened at $1,074.01 on Thursday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,096.50. The company has a market cap of $476.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 55.85, a P/E/G ratio of 5.38 and a beta of 0.92. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $1,006.08 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $958.67. 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 (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $4.02 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.33 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st were paid a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.5%. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is currently 30.58%.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: UBS raised its price target on Costco to $1,275 from $1,205 and reiterated a buy rating, reinforcing the view that the stock still has upside after its strong rally. Benzinga: Costco Wholesale had its price target raised by UBS Group AG from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00
• Positive Sentiment: Higher gas prices may be driving more traffic to Costco’s warehouse clubs as shoppers seek discounted fuel, which could support membership visits and sales. Benzinga: Higher Gas Prices Have Consumers Visiting Costco, Sam’s Club More
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts remain upbeat ahead of Q3, with UBS and other commentators saying Costco should post another strong update despite macro pressures, helped by stable renewal rates and resilient demand. Yahoo Finance: Costco Expected to Deliver Strong Q3 Results Despite Macro Pressures, UBS Says

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the company’s 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 transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares in the company, 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 SEC, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have issued reports on COST. Roth Mkm reaffirmed a “sell” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,110.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, April 17th. Rothschild & Co Redburn upped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 17th. DA Davidson reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, April 10th. Finally, UBS Group upped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,205.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday. Twenty-two equities research 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’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,052.60.

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.