Howe & Rusling Inc. Purchases 854 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Howe & Rusling Inc. grew its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 9.6% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 9,717 shares of the retailer’s stock after acquiring an additional 854 shares during the quarter. Howe & Rusling Inc.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $8,379,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.4% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 43,620,717 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $37,615,889,000 after purchasing an additional 165,349 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 10,388,519 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $8,919,573,000 after purchasing an additional 26,690 shares during the period. Morgan Stanley boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 9,523,423 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $8,212,433,000 after purchasing an additional 107,775 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 4th quarter worth approximately $5,195,415,000. Finally, Capital World Investors boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.0% in the 4th quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 3,937,286 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $3,395,301,000 after purchasing an additional 77,650 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks highlighted Costco’s growing traffic, stronger comparable sales, and gas-driven member engagement, reinforcing that its value proposition is still attracting shoppers. Costco’s Growing Traffic Shows the Power of Its Value Strategy
• Positive Sentiment: Another Zacks note said Costco screens well for earnings acceleration, pointing to rising EPS growth trends that can support further upside in the shares. Costco & 2 Earnings Acceleration Stocks to Watch for Solid Upside
• Positive Sentiment: Yahoo Finance and other commentary emphasized Costco’s record gasoline sales, e-commerce growth, wellness offerings, and ongoing store expansion, all of which reinforce the company’s long-term growth story. Costco Leans On Gasoline, E Commerce And Wellness To Deepen Member Value
• Positive Sentiment: Several articles framed Costco as a top long-term growth name and suggested the stock still has room to run if membership strength and comparable sales remain solid. Why Costco (COST) is a Top Growth Stock for the Long-Term
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco remains a heavily watched stock, with investor attention amplified by bullish price-target speculation and debate over whether the company can break above $1,100 over time. Can Costco Stock Break $1,100 by 2027?
• Negative Sentiment: Despite the constructive outlook, one market note said Costco was among retailers that fell even as lower oil prices could have helped consumers, showing the stock can still be pressured by broader rotation or lack of immediate catalyst. It Wasn’t a Strait of Hormuz Relief Rally, After All

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

COST opened at $986.68 on Wednesday. The business has a fifty day moving average of $1,004.06 and a 200 day moving average of $968.46. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,096.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The stock has a market cap of $437.57 billion, a P/E ratio of 49.63, a PEG ratio of 4.74 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.94 by ($0.01). Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. The business had revenue of $70.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $4.28 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st were issued a dividend of $1.47 per share. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 1st. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 29.58%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,110.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, April 17th. Citigroup reiterated a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, February 20th. Rothschild & Co Redburn lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 17th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $1,050.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group lifted their target price on Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 10th. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,060.41.

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.