Trust Co of the South Reduces Position in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Trust Co of the South decreased its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 52.2% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 737 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 804 shares during the period. Trust Co of the South’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $636,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in COST. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the second quarter valued at approximately $5,692,035,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 96,316.6% during the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,378,758 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,364,888,000 after buying an additional 1,377,328 shares in the last quarter. Amundi boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 45.0% during the third quarter. Amundi now owns 3,176,606 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,893,697,000 after buying an additional 986,182 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 9.8% in the 2nd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,291,557 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $4,248,384,000 after buying an additional 383,887 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Voloridge Investment Management LLC grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 112.2% in the 3rd quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC now owns 477,425 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $441,919,000 after buying an additional 252,453 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of Costco Wholesale stock opened at $974.78 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $432.46 billion, a PE ratio of 50.69, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.84 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,067.08. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $983.32 and its 200-day simple moving average is $938.37.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The firm had revenue of $69.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $68.96 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $4.02 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 30th were given a dividend of $1.30 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 30th. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.5%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 27.04%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

COST has been the topic of several analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $900.00 to $950.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $1,044.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Truist Financial lifted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $926.00 to $977.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, March 6th. Telsey Advisory Group boosted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,125.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Mizuho increased their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,065.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,039.13.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other 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 value of $437,390.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 8,532 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,148,060. This represents a 5.09% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 9th. The stock was 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 of the company’s stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. The trade was a 10.66% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 7,645 shares of company stock worth $7,049,302. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts maintain a favorable view — a broad coverage sample shows an average “Moderate Buy” consensus, supporting investor confidence in Costco’s long-term outlook. Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) Receives Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts
• Positive Sentiment: Costco upgraded its retail media platform — this could boost ad revenue and help monetize store and digital traffic, a diversification tailwind beyond membership fees and merchandise. Costco upgrades its retail media platform
• Positive Sentiment: New Kirkland Signature product rollouts and an expanding footprint (including a planned standalone gas station) reinforce Costco’s value proposition for members and open local competitive advantages vs. c-stores and mass retailers. Costco adds Kirkland Signature items. See what’s new Costco’s first standalone gas station to open by late June
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst and media pieces reiterate upside potential but note valuation and retail disruption risks — helpful context but not an immediate catalyst. Costco Stock Forecast: Can COST Keep Up amid Worries about the Future of Retail Stores?
• Neutral Sentiment: Consumer-focused promos/tech deals coverage (e.g., tech sale comparisons to Amazon) highlight competitive positioning but are unlikely to move fundamentals immediately. 4 Costco Tech Deals That Rival Amazon’s Big Spring Sale
• Neutral Sentiment: Reported short-interest data is effectively negligible/erroneous in this release, so it’s not a current factor for price pressure. (No actionable short-covering signal.)
• Negative Sentiment: Reports suggest some members may face higher renewal fees — a membership-price uptick could risk member dissatisfaction or churn if not offset by perceived value, creating short-term investor caution. Some Costco members may pay more to renew their memberships
• Negative Sentiment: Public discussion about raising iconic low-price items (e.g., the $1.50 hot dog) has generated headlines — such price changes can provoke negative member reaction and press, even if they reflect broader cost pressures. Costco’s $1.50 Hot Dog Prices To Go Up? Here Is What CEO Ron Vachris Has To Say About That

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.