Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Stock: Columbia Bank Boosts Stake

Columbia Bank increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 14.0% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 4,952 shares of the retailer’s stock after buying an additional 610 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale makes up about 1.0% of Columbia Bank’s portfolio, making the stock its 22nd largest holding. Columbia Bank’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $4,508,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. State Street Corp boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 31.7% in the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 23,901,594 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $22,359,224,000 after acquiring an additional 5,749,362 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 11.5% during the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 7,515,031 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $7,488,203,000 after purchasing an additional 773,651 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 5.5% during the second quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 3,068,312 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,870,314,000 after purchasing an additional 160,893 shares during the last quarter. Amundi raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 11.1% during the 1st quarter. Amundi now owns 2,839,016 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,828,881,000 after purchasing an additional 283,360 shares during the period. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $2,362,188,000. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Store expansion supports long-term growth. Costco plans to open 13 locations by the end of 2026, potentially expanding its membership base and sales footprint. Costco opening 13 locations by end of 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Membership acquisition remains a focus. A promotional offer providing new members with a $45 gift card could help drive sign-ups ahead of the holiday shopping season, supporting recurring membership-fee revenue. Costco membership Black Friday deal
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts expect continued earnings momentum. Costco’s upcoming fiscal first-quarter 2027 report is expected to show double-digit year-over-year EPS growth. Its latest quarter also beat consensus estimates on both earnings and revenue. What to expect from Costco Wholesale’s next quarterly earnings report
• Positive Sentiment: Customer loyalty and digital engagement remain strengths. Coverage highlights near-record renewal rates, busy warehouses, a younger shopper base and growing use of Costco’s digital channels. These factors reinforce the company’s competitive advantages and long-term sales potential. The New Costco Shopper Is Under 40
• Neutral Sentiment: Healthcare partnerships could deepen member engagement. Integrations with NationsBenefits and SCAN Health Plan are expanding Costco’s role in Medicare-related spending across more than 600 U.S. warehouses, though the financial contribution is not yet clear. Medicare push and Costco investors
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation leaves little room for disappointment. Costco trades at roughly 49 times earnings, making execution and upcoming results especially important. Analysts remain positive, but the stock’s premium valuation could amplify downside if growth slows. Costco stock’s long-term competitive advantages

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts recently issued reports on the company. CICC Research assumed coverage on Costco Wholesale in a report on Wednesday, October 21st. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $1,050.00 price target on the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein lowered their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,144.00 to $1,143.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, September 25th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,091.00 to $1,079.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, September 28th. Raymond James Financial cut their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,050.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, September 25th. Finally, Bank of America reduced their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,200.00 to $1,095.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, September 16th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-four have issued a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,086.19.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

COST opened at $1,012.28 on Friday. The business’s 50 day moving average is $943.31 and its 200-day moving average is $970.25. The stock has a market cap of $448.57 billion, a PE ratio of 48.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.33 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11. 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 issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, September 24th. The retailer reported $6.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.54 by $0.21. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 27.60% and a net margin of 3.04%. The business had revenue of $95.72 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $94.97 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $5.87 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 11.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 22.70 earnings per share for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 30th will be paid a dividend of $1.47 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, October 30th. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is presently 28.32%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 1,100 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $958.21, for a total transaction of $1,054,031.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 3,094 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,964,701.74. The trade was a 26.23% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,200 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $915.93, for a total value of $2,015,046.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 7,134 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,534,244.62. The trade was a 23.57% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Company Profile

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a membership-based warehouse retail business under the Costco name. The company sells merchandise in bulk and at competitive prices through warehouse clubs and e-commerce platforms, serving individual consumers, businesses and other organizations.

Its product selection includes groceries and fresh foods, household supplies, appliances, electronics, furniture, apparel, health and beauty products, jewelry, automotive products and prescription drugs. Costco also provides services such as optical care, pharmacy services, hearing-aid sales, travel offerings and fuel sales, depending on location.

The company traces its roots to Price Club, which opened in San Diego in 1976.