13,112 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Acquired by NBT Bank N.A.

Key Points

• NBT Bank acquired 13,112 Costco shares worth approximately $11.9 million in the third quarter, while institutional investors collectively owned 68.48% of the stock.
• Analyst sentiment remains favorable: 25 analysts rate Costco a Buy, with an average “Moderate Buy” rating and a consensus price target of $1,086.19.
• Costco exceeded quarterly expectations with $6.75 in EPS and $95.72 billion in revenue, up 11.1% year over year, and declared a $1.47 quarterly dividend. However, the stock’s high valuation and intensifying grocery competition remain concerns.

NBT Bank N.A. acquired a new position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 13,112 shares of the retailer's stock, valued at approximately $11,936,000.

Several other large investors have also bought and sold shares of COST. Adams Diversified Equity Fund Inc. increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 154.7% in the 3rd quarter. Adams Diversified Equity Fund Inc. now owns 34,900 shares of the retailer's stock worth $31,771,000 after acquiring an additional 21,200 shares in the last quarter. Precedent Wealth Partners LLC lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 12.7% during the 3rd quarter. Precedent Wealth Partners LLC now owns 567 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $516,000 after acquiring an additional 64 shares during the period. JSF Financial LLC lifted its position in Costco Wholesale by 5.8% during the 3rd quarter. JSF Financial LLC now owns 2,050 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $1,866,000 after acquiring an additional 113 shares during the period. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 6.5% during the third quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. now owns 4,926 shares of the retailer's stock worth $4,484,000 after acquiring an additional 302 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Marion Wealth Management boosted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 4.6% during the third quarter. Marion Wealth Management now owns 2,892 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,633,000 after acquiring an additional 127 shares in the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on COST shares. DA Davidson upped their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,040.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Friday, September 25th. Sanford C. Bernstein lowered their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,144.00 to $1,143.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Friday, September 25th. Raymond James Financial dropped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,050.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, September 25th. CICC Research assumed coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research note on Wednesday. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $1,050.00 price target on the stock. Finally, UBS Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, September 17th. Twenty-five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,086.19.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 1.5%

NASDAQ:COST opened at $1,003.32 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11, a quick ratio of 0.62 and a current ratio of 1.06. The firm has a market cap of $444.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 48.33, a P/E/G ratio of 4.35 and a beta of 0.88. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $844.06 and a fifty-two week high of $1,096.50. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $937.96 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $963.21.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, September 24th. The retailer reported $6.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.54 by $0.21. The firm had revenue of $95.72 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $94.97 billion. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 3.04% and a return on equity of 27.60%. The business's revenue was up 11.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $5.87 earnings per share. Analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 22.70 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Investors of record on Friday, October 30th will be given 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 dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 28.32%.

Insider Buying and Selling

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

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support remains strong. CICC initiated coverage with an Outperform rating, while Tigress Financial raised its price target to $1,250. Erste Group also increased its FY2028 EPS estimate to $25.07 from $25.01, above the current-year consensus estimate of $22.70. CICC coverage article Tigress Financial price target article
• Positive Sentiment: Growth and customer engagement remain key positives. Costco’s membership model has delivered substantial long-term shareholder returns, and the company is reportedly using purchasing data to better target high-spending members. REJURAN Cosmetics is also expanding through Costco’s first Beauty Table program, potentially adding traffic and broadening its premium beauty offering. Costco customer spending article REJURAN retail expansion article
• Neutral Sentiment: Long-term growth screens are favorable, and analysts’ average recommendation is equivalent to a Buy. However, these reports largely reiterate existing optimism rather than provide a new earnings catalyst. Zacks growth stock article
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and competition remain concerns. Costco trades at a high earnings multiple, leaving the stock sensitive to profit-taking or disappointing growth. Kroger is planning major investments and price cuts to win back market share from Costco and Walmart, which could intensify grocery competition and pressure margins. Kroger competition article

About Costco Wholesale

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.

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