CHICAGO TRUST Co NA Acquires 1,173 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Key Points

• CHICAGO TRUST Co NA increased its Costco stake by 22.9% in the third quarter, purchasing 1,173 additional shares for a total of 6,294 shares valued at $5.73 million. Institutional investors collectively own 68.48% of Costco.
• Costco reported quarterly EPS of $6.75, exceeding estimates, while revenue rose 11.1% year over year to $95.72 billion. The company also declared a quarterly dividend of $1.47 per share, representing a 0.6% yield.
• Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target of $1,086.19, but Costco’s roughly 49x earnings valuation leaves the stock vulnerable if growth slows. Two executive vice presidents recently sold shares.

CHICAGO TRUST Co NA increased its holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 22.9% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 6,294 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 1,173 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale makes up about 0.8% of CHICAGO TRUST Co NA's holdings, making the stock its 26th biggest holding. CHICAGO TRUST Co NA's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $5,730,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the business. State Street Corp boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 31.7% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 23,901,594 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $22,359,224,000 after buying an additional 5,749,362 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE grew its stake 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 buying an additional 773,651 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC grew its stake 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 buying an additional 160,893 shares during the last quarter. Amundi increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 11.1% in the first quarter. Amundi now owns 2,839,016 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,828,881,000 after buying an additional 283,360 shares during the period. Finally, Ascentis Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 103,637.0% in the second quarter. Ascentis Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,500,062 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,549,616,000 after buying an additional 2,497,652 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,200 shares of Costco Wholesale 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 $6,534,244.62. The trade was a 23.57% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 1,100 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $958.21, for a total transaction of $1,054,031.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 3,094 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,964,701.74. The trade was a 26.23% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 0.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 1.6%

NASDAQ COST opened at $1,012.28 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1 year low of $844.06 and a 1 year high of $1,096.50. The stock has a market capitalization of $448.57 billion, a PE ratio of 48.76, a PEG ratio of 4.26 and a beta of 0.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 0.62. The business's 50-day moving average is $943.31 and its 200 day moving average is $970.25.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, September 24th. The retailer reported $6.75 EPS for the quarter, beating 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 quarter in the prior year, the company posted $5.87 EPS. Costco Wholesale's quarterly revenue was up 11.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts forecast 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. Stockholders 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 dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale's payout ratio is 28.32%.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

COST has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Guggenheim reissued a "neutral" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, September 28th. Evercore reaffirmed an "outperform" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Tuesday, September 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,015.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, September 25th. DA Davidson boosted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,040.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday, September 25th. Finally, Raymond James Financial dropped their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,050.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, September 25th. Twenty-five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,086.19.

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.

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