Stock Yards Bank & Trust Co. Lowers Stock Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Stock Yards Bank & Trust Co. lessened its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 1.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 49,761 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 603 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale comprises approximately 1.4% of Stock Yards Bank & Trust Co.’s portfolio, making the stock its 18th biggest position. Stock Yards Bank & Trust Co.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $46,061,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Avidian Wealth Enterprises LLC raised its position in Costco Wholesale by 6.4% during the 3rd quarter. Avidian Wealth Enterprises LLC now owns 1,775 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $1,643,000 after buying an additional 107 shares during the last quarter. Osborne Partners Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.8% in the third quarter. Osborne Partners Capital Management LLC now owns 12,214 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $11,306,000 after acquiring an additional 102 shares in the last quarter. Rakuten Investment Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth about $265,000. Cornerstone Wealth Group LLC increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 1.1% during the third quarter. Cornerstone Wealth Group LLC now owns 6,064 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $5,613,000 after acquiring an additional 65 shares during the period. Finally, Next Level Wealth Planning LLC raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 16.5% during the third quarter. Next Level Wealth Planning LLC now owns 508 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $471,000 after purchasing an additional 72 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $964.26 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.04, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $896.67 and its 200 day moving average price is $929.57. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week high of $1,078.23. The stock has a market cap of $428.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.65, a PEG ratio of 5.77 and a beta of 1.02.

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, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.27 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $67.31 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $67.03 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.96% and a return on equity of 29.35%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $4.04 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts forecast that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 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, February 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 30th will be issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is 27.85%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have issued reports on COST shares. Telsey Advisory Group reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $1,100.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. DA Davidson restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, December 4th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $1,044.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. UBS Group restated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Finally, Truist Financial cut their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,033.00 to $926.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Friday, December 12th. Twenty-one equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $996.00.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Warehouse expansion and faster new‑store ramp-ups point to a durable growth runway and higher membership-driven sales over time. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Retail momentum: December sales came in stronger than expected, helping extend the recent rally and reinforcing resilient traffic and membership trends that support recurring revenue. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Card incentives improved — reported boosts to gas rewards for co‑branded cardholders (notably at Costco pumps) could help member retention and in‑warehouse spend. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary reiterates Costco’s long‑term durability (member loyalty, steady comps) but flags a high valuation and moderate growth that may limit near‑term upside from current levels — useful for entry/position sizing decisions. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Brand/merchandising note: Costco is switching its food‑court beverage supplier back to Coca‑Cola after a decade with Pepsi — largely a partnership/brand shift with limited immediate financial impact. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Insider sale: Director Susan L. Decker sold 458 shares at about $955 (a small reduction, ~5.1% of her holding). While not large, insider sales can be interpreted negatively by some investors as timing/valuation signaling. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Competitive risk: coverage notes a major grocery rival expanding aggressively — increased local competition could pressure market share or margins in affected regions over time. Read More.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP Javier Polit sold 2,049 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $867.21, for a total transaction of $1,776,913.29. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 10,748 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,320,773.08. This trade represents a 16.01% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 2,400 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $930.13, for a total transaction of $2,232,312.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 2,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,860,260. This trade represents a 54.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 12,404 shares of company stock valued at $11,395,418 in the last ninety days. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

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.