Ameritas Advisory Services LLC Purchases 1,633 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Ameritas Advisory Services LLC raised its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 44.7% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 5,283 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,633 shares during the quarter. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $4,556,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of COST. Hurley Capital LLC lifted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares during the period. Joseph Group Capital Management acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter worth approximately $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth approximately $34,000. Collier Financial acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth approximately $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth approximately $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms recently commented on COST. Evercore set a $1,100.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Telsey Advisory Group raised their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,125.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Bank of America began coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, February 27th. They set a “buy” rating and a $1,185.00 target price for the company. Weiss Ratings raised Costco Wholesale from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 17th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,047.27.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco posted strong April sales trends, with reports citing 11.6% comparable sales growth, 13% net sales growth, and an 18.8% rise in digitally enabled comps, reinforcing confidence in the company’s membership-driven model and e-commerce expansion.
• Positive Sentiment: TD Cowen issued a bullish view after visiting Costco’s headquarters, suggesting the retailer still has room to grow and that the stock’s recent strength may be supported by fundamentals rather than just market momentum. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Several pieces pointed to Costco as a defensive, high-quality retailer with durable demand and strong customer loyalty, which may be attracting investors looking for stability amid broader consumer uncertainty.
• Neutral Sentiment: Some coverage framed Costco as a “hold” or questioned whether the stock’s valuation is already rich, implying that much of the good news may already be priced in. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Other articles discussed long-term growth themes such as digital perks, food court changes, and broader consumer-staples positioning, but these were more informational than immediate stock catalysts.
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation remains a concern, with multiple articles noting that Costco trades at a premium and may warrant patience if growth slows or margins come under pressure.
• Negative Sentiment: Some commentary suggested Costco has underperformed the broader market over the past year, which could temper enthusiasm despite its strong operating performance. Article Title

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 2.2%

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $1,021.88 on Wednesday. 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 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,067.08. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $998.78 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $952.99. The stock has a market capitalization of $453.36 billion, a PE ratio of 53.14, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.92 and a beta of 0.92.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, beating 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 firm had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $68.96 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $4.02 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st will be given 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 dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is presently 30.58%.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 9th. The stock was 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 of the company’s stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

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.