Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Sold by First Citizens Bank & Trust Co.

First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. lessened its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 66.1% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 5,900 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 11,503 shares during the quarter. First Citizens Bank & Trust Co.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $5,879,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.4% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 43,620,717 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $37,615,889,000 after buying an additional 165,349 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 10,388,519 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $8,919,573,000 after acquiring an additional 26,690 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 1.1% in the fourth quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 9,523,423 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $8,212,433,000 after acquiring an additional 107,775 shares in the last quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 99,278.0% in the first quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. now owns 6,726,899 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $672,690,000 after acquiring an additional 6,720,130 shares during the period. Finally, Corient Private Wealth LLC lifted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 838.9% in the fourth quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 6,125,405 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $5,282,182,000 after acquiring an additional 5,472,968 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ:COST opened at $929.22 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The company has a market capitalization of $412.09 billion, a P/E ratio of 46.74, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.52 and a beta of 0.88. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $972.60 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $979.28. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,096.50.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 28th. The retailer reported $4.93 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.94 by ($0.01). Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.01% and a return on equity of 28.04%. The business had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $70.12 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $4.28 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.42 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 7th. Investors of record on Friday, July 24th will be paid a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 24th. This represents a $5.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is presently 29.58%.

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total transaction of $847,343.25. Following the sale, the director owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,575,653.55. This represents a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco is being praised for its long runway for expansion, with analysts pointing to plans for 26 net-new warehouses in fiscal 2026 and a broader international pipeline. Why Costco’s Warehouse Growth Story Is Far From Over
• Positive Sentiment: New store-opening reports, including more locations coming in 2026 and a new Clarksville site, reinforce Costco’s continued footprint expansion and should support revenue growth expectations. 8 more Costco stores are coming in 2026. Is Ohio getting one? Costco coming to Freedom Farms in Clarksville
• Positive Sentiment: Costco’s pharmacy and prescription-service expansion could make memberships more valuable and increase customer loyalty and visit frequency. Costco expands pharmacy, prescription services for members
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage around new premium items, such as Laifen hair dryers in stores, suggests Costco is still expanding its product assortment and strengthening its appeal to higher-spending members. Costco (COST) Brings Laifen Hair Dryer To Stores In Its Biggest US Retail Push
• Neutral Sentiment: Several articles framed Costco as a strong long-term compounder and a potential future trillion-dollar company, which is supportive sentiment but not a near-term catalyst. Prediction: Costco Will Join the $1 Trillion Club by 2033
• Neutral Sentiment: Other commentary focused on Costco as a high-quality dividend or retirement holding, while also noting valuation concerns versus peers; this keeps the stock in the spotlight but does not change the business outlook immediately. Costco Is a Compelling Investment Opportunity, but This Stock Could Be an Even Better Buy Costco Is a No-Brainer Buy for Retirement Investors Right Now
• Negative Sentiment: Some coverage highlighted that COST has pulled back from recent highs and remains expensive on earnings metrics, which may be weighing on near-term trading. Price Prediction: Will Costco Hit a New-High This Year?
• Negative Sentiment: One report noted the stock edged lower even as Costco reportedly plans standalone gas stations, suggesting investors may be taking a cautious approach to the expansion news. Costco Stock (COST) Drops despite Bet on Stand-Alone Gas Stations in Sales Push

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have issued reports on COST shares. Guggenheim reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, June 1st. Royal Bank Of Canada initiated coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, July 13th. They set a “sector perform” rating and a $1,000.00 price target on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,110.00 to $1,100.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, July 9th. Oppenheimer raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,160.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 19th. Finally, BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $1,125.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, May 29th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,059.07.

Costco Wholesale Company 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.