Merit Financial Group LLC Grows Stock Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Merit Financial Group LLC boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 1.6% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 32,724 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 516 shares during the quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $30,291,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Soundwatch Capital LLC raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 635.7% in the 2nd quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC now owns 2,553 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 2,206 shares during the period. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the second quarter worth approximately $31,000. Spurstone Advisory Services LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the second quarter worth approximately $48,000. Access Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $49,000. Finally, Evolution Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new position in Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter valued at $50,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP James C. Klauer sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $939.00, for a total transaction of $1,408,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 44,837 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $42,101,943. This represents a 3.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of Costco Wholesale 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 transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 4,228 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,169,907.28. The trade was a 16.74% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 6,915 shares of company stock valued at $6,317,097 in the last three months. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks highlights a “dual engine” for growth — e-commerce comps up ~20.5% and new store openings driving outsized sales, supporting revenue and same-store-sales momentum. Costco’s Digital Demand and Warehouse Strength Create a Dual Engine
• Positive Sentiment: Rollout of mobile/online ordering for custom cakes and deli trays improves convenience and fulfillment options — could raise transaction frequency and average ticket in clubs. Costco cake online ordering is coming
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage noting that prominent billionaires hold large positions in Costco lends a governance/endorsement narrative that can support investor confidence. 3 Billionaires Have One Key Stock As Their Largest Holding. You’ll Be Surprised to Know What It Is.
• Neutral Sentiment: Reported short-interest notes are inconsistent (data shows 0 shares and 0 days-to-cover), so there’s no clear evidence of rising short pressure to amplify moves.
• Neutral Sentiment: Stories celebrating long-term share performance (e.g., “If you invested $1,000…” pieces) support sentiment but are descriptive rather than catalytic. If You Invested $1000 in Costco a Decade Ago, This is How Much It’d Be Worth Now
• Negative Sentiment: A lawsuit alleging rotisserie chicken contamination introduces legal, recall and reputational risk; investors should watch for case developments and any operational impact. Costco Lawsuit Over Rotisserie Chicken Contamination And Investor Considerations
• Negative Sentiment: Consumer pieces on products to avoid (Kirkland items) and reports that Costco is tightening return policies could weigh on customer experience/reputation if they gain traction. 7 Kirkland Signature Foods And Drinks Costco Shoppers Avoid Buying Costco quietly cracks down on returns

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of COST stock opened at $1,018.48 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $452.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 54.55, a PEG ratio of 5.37 and a beta of 1.01. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,077.49. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. The company’s 50 day moving average is $925.57 and its 200 day moving average is $933.10.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.27 by $0.07. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 29.35% and a net margin of 2.96%.The business had revenue of $67.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $67.03 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $4.04 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have weighed in on the company. Hovde Group assumed coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Tuesday, November 18th. They issued a “market perform” rating and a $16.00 target price on the stock. Truist Financial lowered their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,033.00 to $926.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Roth Mkm restated a “sell” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $900.00 to $950.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Evercore ISI increased their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,025.00 to $1,050.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 10th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,009.00.

Costco Wholesale 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.