Ni-Fe-Ga-Co is a new ferromagnetic shape memory alloy system, which is promising for magnetically controlled actuators and refrigerators. In order to improve its performance, single crystal or polycrystals with preferred orientation are required. To prepare these crystals, directional solidification is the most effective way. In this work, directionally solidified Ni₅₂Fe₁₇Ga₂₇Co₄ ferromagnetic shape memory alloys were prepared by zone melting liquid metal cooling (ZMLMC) method. The preferred crystal orientation and microstructure in the steady growth zone under three different conditions were studied. It is indicated that under low temperature gradient and high growth velocity, the solidified crystals grew along <100> direction and primary γ phase was formed during the unstable growth; under high temperature gradient and low growth velocities, the coarse columnar crystals had uniform sizes, single martensitic phase and well-developed preferred orientation, i.e. along (222) planes of the martensite. It is deduced that the condition for stable crystal growth is high temperature gradient and low growth velocity. Under this condition, giant martensitic single-variant sets in the oriented columnar crystals were revealed, which is meaningful for potential large magnetic field-induced strain. EBSD results revealed that there was no micro-twin inside the martensitic twins and the twinning plane turned out to be (110) and (110). Additionally, magnetic domains intersecting with martensitic lamellae were observed.