Maridea Wealth Management LLC Acquires 971 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Maridea Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 238.0% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,379 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 971 shares during the period. Maridea Wealth Management LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $1,291,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 4.4% during the 2nd quarter. Hobbs Wealth Management LLC now owns 262 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $259,000 after buying an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Graney & King LLC grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 6.8% in the second quarter. Graney & King LLC now owns 173 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $171,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Seneschal Advisors LLC grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.4% in the second quarter. Seneschal Advisors LLC now owns 3,142 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $3,110,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Busey Bank raised its stake in 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 in the last quarter. Finally, Pasadena Private Wealth LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.8% in 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 last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 0.6%

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $1,012.05 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 1.04 and a quick ratio of 0.53. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $928.05 and a 200-day moving average price of $933.51. The stock has a market capitalization of $449.22 billion, a P/E ratio of 54.21, a P/E/G ratio of 5.37 and a beta of 1.01. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,071.00.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.27 by $0.07. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.96% and a return on equity of 29.35%. The firm had revenue of $67.31 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $67.03 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $4.04 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 30th were paid a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 30th. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.5%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 27.85%.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Digital and warehouse growth remain strong (e‑commerce comps +20.5%, new stores boosting sales), supporting longer‑term revenue momentum. Costco’s Digital Demand and Warehouse Strength Create a Dual Engine
• Positive Sentiment: Member enthusiasm for new food‑court offering (McDonald’s‑style item) is positive for in‑club traffic and ancillary sales. Costco launches McDonald’s copycat food court item that members call ‘top notch’
• Positive Sentiment: New mobile ordering for cakes/deli could improve customer convenience and drive higher average tickets for the deli category. Costco cake online ordering is coming
• Neutral Sentiment: Rothschild & Co Redburn raised its price target to $1,000 but kept a “neutral” rating — the PT is close to current levels, giving limited directional push. Rothschild & Co Redburn adjusts PT on Costco Wholesale to $1,000
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage and valuation commentary continue to evolve; a recent roundup of analyst moves highlights mixed views that could keep share volatility elevated. How Recent Analyst Moves Are Shaping The Costco Wholesale (COST) Valuation Story
• Neutral Sentiment: Short‑interest reporting in mid‑February shows effectively zero reported short position (data contains anomalies), so short squeeze dynamics are unlikely to be a driver. (internal short‑interest entries)
• Negative Sentiment: Gift cards sold at Costco are at risk after the issuer declared bankruptcy, creating potential consumer refunds/liability and reputational concern. Gift cards sold at Costco at risk after issuer declares sudden bankruptcy
• Negative Sentiment: Related recall: Costco issued a recall on certain restaurant gift cards, which amplifies near‑term consumer and operational risk. Costco issues recall on restaurant gift cards
• Negative Sentiment: Legal exposure: Costco faces a U.S. class action alleging salmonella risk (and separate rotisserie‑chicken complaint coverage), which could mean litigation costs, recalls or reputational damage if claims progress. Costco hit by US class action over salmonella risk claims

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on COST shares. Northcoast Research set a $1,100.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 24th. Robert W. Baird set a $1,100.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. UBS Group reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Gordon Haskett boosted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. Finally, Rothschild & Co Redburn upped their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $890.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Twenty-one equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,008.07.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $939.00, for a total transaction of $1,408,500.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 44,837 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $42,101,943. This represents a 3.24% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total transaction of $838,321.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 4,228 shares in the company, valued at $4,169,907.28. This represents a 16.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 6,915 shares of company stock valued at $6,317,097. Corporate 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.