PNC Financial Services Group Inc. Has $538.36 Million Stock Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

PNC Financial Services Group Inc. reduced its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 0.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 581,610 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 548 shares during the quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. owned 0.13% of Costco Wholesale worth $538,356,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Soundwatch Capital LLC raised its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 635.7% in the 2nd quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC now owns 2,553 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 2,206 shares in the last quarter. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the second quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Collier Financial acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC bought a new stake in Costco Wholesale during the third quarter worth $36,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 2.0%

NASDAQ:COST opened at $1,018.48 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,077.49. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 1.04 and a quick ratio of 0.53. The company has a market cap of $452.07 billion, a PE ratio of 54.55, a P/E/G ratio of 5.37 and a beta of 1.01. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $922.96 and its 200 day simple moving average is $932.51.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.27 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $67.31 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $67.03 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.96% and a return on equity of 29.35%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $4.04 earnings per share. On average, research analysts anticipate 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 $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is 27.85%.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst price-target upgrades: Bernstein raised its target (to ~$1,155) and Evercore ISI lifted its target to $1,050, keeping upbeat ratings that support upside expectations. Bernstein Boosts COST Target
• Positive Sentiment: Europe expansion: Costco is piloting e‑commerce delivery in Europe, a meaningful new addressable market that could drive long‑term top‑line growth if scaled. Costco Tests European E Commerce Delivery
• Positive Sentiment: Membership & promotions: Ongoing member promotions (e.g., digital shop-card offers) and strong member perks sustain renewal rates and engagement. Get a $20 Digital Costco Shop Card
• Positive Sentiment: Momentum and growth narratives: Multiple Zacks pieces highlight Costco as a momentum/top‑growth stock, supporting investor sentiment around durable comp and digital trends. Here’s Why Costco is a Strong Momentum Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data appears erroneous (reports show 0 shares / NaN changes and a 0.0 days-to-cover ratio); not meaningful as reported and unlikely to explain price moves.
• Neutral Sentiment: Corporate culture/dei: Fortune reports Costco maintained DEI programs while some peers cut back—this may support talent/brand but is not an immediate earnings driver. Costco defied Trump’s DEI directive
• Neutral Sentiment: Customer coverage pieces (both positive “in awe” stories and critiques of recent changes) reflect mixed consumer sentiment—useful for brand monitoring but limited near-term impact. 10 Costco Changes That Made Customers Angry
• Negative Sentiment: Product recall: A recall of mini beignets for undeclared hazelnuts affects operations and could create modest near‑term costs or reputational noise. Costco recalls mini beignets
• Negative Sentiment: Tariff/legal risk: The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear challenges to former‑administration tariffs (Feb. 20); an adverse ruling or delayed refunds could hurt retailer margins or cash recoveries. President Trump’s Tariffs To Face Feb.20 Supreme Court Hearing

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $916.32, for a total value of $1,374,480.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 8,240 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,550,476.80. The trade was a 15.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Javier Polit sold 558 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $862.89, for a total value of $481,492.62. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 10,190 shares in the company, valued at $8,792,849.10. The trade was a 5.19% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 6,915 shares of company stock valued at $6,317,097. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have recently issued reports on COST. Truist Financial decreased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,033.00 to $926.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 12th. HSBC lowered their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,045.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $900.00 to $950.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. DA Davidson reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, December 12th. 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. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,009.00.

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.