Beese Fulmer Investment Management Inc. Has $54.07 Million Stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Beese Fulmer Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 104.5% in the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 62,706 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 32,049 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale accounts for about 3.2% of Beese Fulmer Investment Management Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its 4th largest holding. Beese Fulmer Investment Management Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $54,074,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Barr E S & Co. grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.7% in the 4th quarter. Barr E S & Co. now owns 10,018 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $8,639,000 after purchasing an additional 72 shares in the last quarter. Accredited Investors Inc. grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 5.7% in the 4th quarter. Accredited Investors Inc. now owns 2,632 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,270,000 after purchasing an additional 142 shares in the last quarter. Millennium Capital Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth about $493,000. Canada Post Corp Registered Pension Plan grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 22.5% in the 4th quarter. Canada Post Corp Registered Pension Plan now owns 11,446 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $9,870,000 after purchasing an additional 2,100 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Qsemble Capital Management LP grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 61.5% in the 4th quarter. Qsemble Capital Management LP now owns 10,118 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $8,725,000 after purchasing an additional 3,852 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have issued reports on COST. DA Davidson reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and issued a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, April 10th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $1,050.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Evercore set a $1,100.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, March 2nd. Rothschild & Co Redburn upped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. Finally, BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $1,115.00 price objective 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 assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,047.27.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 0.7%

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $1,048.95 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,067.08. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $1,000.90 and a 200-day moving average price of $955.06. The company has a market capitalization of $465.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 54.55, a P/E/G ratio of 5.16 and a beta of 0.92. 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 (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. 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 during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $4.02 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.31 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders 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 dividend yield of 0.6%. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is currently 30.58%.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco opened a long-awaited warehouse in New Braunfels, Texas, adding to its store base and reinforcing investor confidence in continued unit growth and market expansion. Long-awaited Costco Wholesale now open in New Braunfels
• Positive Sentiment: Another report confirmed the New Braunfels store is now open for business, underscoring Costco’s ongoing rollout of new locations that can support membership and revenue growth. Costco Wholesale now open for business in New Braunfels
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market commentary continue to favor Costco’s membership-driven model, saying it benefits from resilient grocery demand and supports steady growth even in a volatile retail backdrop. WMT or COST: Which Retail Giant Looks More Attractive Now?
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s purchase of a 55-acre property in Florida suggests the company is still investing in significant long-term store growth, which investors typically view as a sign of confidence in future demand. Costco Just Signed Off on a Massive Retail Real Estate Deal in Florida. Here’s What Investors Need to Know About Costco’s Store Growth Goals.
• Neutral Sentiment: Articles debating whether Costco is still a good buy after its multi-year rally mostly reinforce that the stock remains a quality business but is expensive, making the reaction more about valuation than any new fundamental change. Is It Too Late To Consider Costco Wholesale (COST) After Its Strong Multi Year Rally
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage on Costco’s food court chicken tender launch is generating consumer buzz, but the main takeaway is mixed, with some concerns about whether it replaces a favorite item rather than clearly boosting the investment outlook. Costco food court chicken tender launch sparks concerns over item replacement
• Negative Sentiment: Some recent commentary flags Costco’s premium valuation and argues the stock may be difficult to justify at current levels, which can temper enthusiasm despite strong fundamentals. Costco: Strong Fundamentals Meet Growth Premium – A Hold Entering FQ3’26
• Negative Sentiment: Another Seeking Alpha piece argues there is a reason to sell Costco beyond valuation, adding to the cautious tone around the stock’s elevated price level. Costco: Another Reason To Sell (Besides The Valuation)

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other 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 transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

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.