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

ProShare Advisors LLC increased its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 38.6% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 769,624 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 214,466 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale accounts for 1.2% of ProShare Advisors LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 13th largest position. ProShare Advisors LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $663,678,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in COST. Brighton Jones LLC increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 12.3% in 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 period. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 13.1% in 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 period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 4.5% in 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 period. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% in 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 period. Finally, Schnieders Capital Management LLC. increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.2% in 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 period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ:COST opened at $1,076.47 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $477.58 billion, a PE ratio of 55.98, a P/E/G ratio of 5.16 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $1,002.78 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $956.31. 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 Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,079.83.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its earnings results 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. The business had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The company’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 firm posted $4.02 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 1st were given a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is currently 30.58%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,104.00 to $1,106.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 7th. Bank of America assumed coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, February 27th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $1,185.00 price objective for the company. Telsey Advisory Group upped their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Truist Financial upped their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $926.00 to $977.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,047.27.

More 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

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, 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 sale, 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 position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale 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.