Stock Yards Bank & Trust Co. Buys 601 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Stock Yards Bank & Trust Co. raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 1.2% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 50,471 shares of the retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 601 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale makes up about 1.6% of Stock Yards Bank & Trust Co.’s holdings, making the stock its 16th biggest holding. Stock Yards Bank & Trust Co.’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $50,291,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in COST. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.4% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 43,620,717 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $37,615,889,000 after purchasing an additional 165,349 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 10,388,519 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $8,919,573,000 after buying an additional 26,690 shares during the period. Morgan Stanley raised its stake 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 buying an additional 107,775 shares in the last quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. raised its stake 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 worth $672,690,000 after buying an additional 6,720,130 shares in the last quarter. 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 worth $5,282,182,000 after buying an additional 5,472,968 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $951.67 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,096.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. The company has a market capitalization of $422.05 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.87, a PEG ratio of 4.48 and a beta of 0.88. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $991.42 and its 200 day moving average is $972.72.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its 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 return on equity of 28.04% and a net margin of 3.01%.The company had revenue of $70.53 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $70.12 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $4.28 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st were given a $1.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. This is a boost from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is presently 29.58%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have weighed in on the company. Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,192.00 to $1,194.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. Mizuho set a $1,100.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Costco Wholesale from $950.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 9th. Raymond James Financial lifted their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, HC Wainwright reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, June 1st. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,061.45.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 885 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $957.45, for a total value of $847,343.25. Following the transaction, the director owned 4,779 shares in the company, valued at $4,575,653.55. The trade was a 15.62% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Trending Headlines about Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Costco is still expanding its warehouse footprint, with new store plans reported in Florida, South Carolina and Southern California, reinforcing the company’s long-term growth story. Costco plans to build new warehouse in southern Hillsborough County
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts remain upbeat on Costco’s earnings power, with Erste Group raising FY2027 EPS estimates above consensus, signaling confidence in the retailer’s ability to keep growing profits.
• Positive Sentiment: Several articles continue to frame Costco as a strong long-term compounder, supported by its membership model, cash generation, and resilient value proposition for consumers. Costco (COST) Stock Looks Strong On Returns But Expensive On Earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Discussion around a possible 2026 stock split is generating attention, but it does not change Costco’s fundamentals and management has historically been cautious about splitting the stock. With Costco Trading Under $1,000, Is a Stock Split Still on the Table for 2026?
• Neutral Sentiment: One comparison piece versus Amazon and a holiday-closure story versus Sam’s Club are more about consumer habits and retail strategy than a direct change in Costco’s outlook. Growth Stock Showdown: Is Costco or Amazon the Better Buy Right Now?
• Negative Sentiment: Some commentary warns Costco may be expensive on earnings and could face execution risks if fuel-related traffic tailwinds weaken, which could limit upside if growth slows. Costco’s Secret Growth Engine May Be Running Out of Gas

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.