Adelphi Trust Co Acquires Shares of 834 Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Adelphi Trust Co acquired a new stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund acquired 834 shares of the retailer’s stock, valued at approximately $719,000.

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Busey Bank increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.4% during the third quarter. Busey Bank now owns 2,651 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,454,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the period. Pasadena Private Wealth LLC increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.8% during the third quarter. Pasadena Private Wealth LLC now owns 1,403 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,299,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the period. Tandem Investment Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% during the third quarter. Tandem Investment Partners LLC now owns 990 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $916,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the period. Optima Capital LLC increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.9% during the third quarter. Optima Capital LLC now owns 1,192 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,104,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the period. Finally, Gratus Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.8% during the third quarter. Gratus Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,399 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,295,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 1.0%

Shares of COST opened at $984.75 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.59. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $995.81 and a 200-day simple moving average of $943.83. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,067.08. The stock has a market cap of $436.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.80 and a beta of 0.99.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share for the quarter, topping 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 business had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $68.96 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $4.02 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st will be paid 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 currently 27.04%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have weighed in on COST shares. Truist Financial upped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $926.00 to $977.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Roth Mkm reiterated a “sell” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. Guggenheim reissued a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Mizuho raised their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,065.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Finally, BTIG Research restated a “buy” rating and issued a $1,115.00 price target 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 issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,043.13.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Board approved a 13% increase in the quarterly cash dividend (from $1.30 to $1.47 per share; annualized $5.88), payable May 15 — a shareholder-friendly move that supports income investors and signals confidence in cash flow. GlobeNewswire: Dividend Announcement
• Positive Sentiment: Research houses (Telsey Advisory Group and Wells Fargo) raised price targets and reiterated positive ratings, citing steady execution — analyst upgrades and higher targets often lift sentiment and buying interest. Yahoo Finance: Telsey & Wells Fargo Raise Targets
• Positive Sentiment: Recent retail data show strong March sales and comp-store strength (including digital growth), reinforcing the view that Costco’s membership model continues to drive traffic and sales momentum. Zacks: Strong March Retail Sales
• Positive Sentiment: International expansion, especially strong performance in Japan (now a top market), highlights recurring membership growth and a path for overseas store openings to add incremental revenue. Yahoo Finance: Japan Growth
• Neutral Sentiment: Positive brand coverage (iconic U.S. positioning, $1.50 hot dog lore) reinforces customer loyalty and marketing moat but has limited direct near-term impact on earnings. USA Today: Iconic Brand Story
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary suggesting Costco could be considered for the Dow adds prestige and occasional headline interest, but index inclusion is speculative and not an immediate earnings driver. 247WallSt: Dow Inclusion Discussion
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple pieces note Costco’s premium valuation (high P/E and compressed yield versus peers) and recent pullback, warning that rich multiples may limit near-term upside despite operational strength. That valuation concern is a key counterweight for growth-oriented buyers. Yahoo Finance: Valuation / Reassessment

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In related news, Director Susan L. Decker sold 458 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $955.00, for a total transaction of $437,390.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 8,532 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,148,060. This represents a 5.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the company’s 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 transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 6,121 shares in the company, valued at $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 2,038 shares of company stock valued at $2,007,916. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

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.