Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Bought by Moody National Bank Trust Division

Key Points

• Moody National Bank Trust Division increased its Costco stake by 26.4% in the third quarter, purchasing 1,108 additional shares to hold 5,306 shares valued at approximately $4.83 million.
• Several other institutional investors also raised their positions, and institutions collectively own 68.48% of Costco’s outstanding shares. Separately, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,200 shares worth about $2.02 million.
• Costco recently exceeded quarterly earnings and revenue expectations, but its stock’s elevated valuation remains a risk: shares traded near $935.85 at a P/E of 45.08, while analysts maintained a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average target of $1,046.27.

Moody National Bank Trust Division lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 26.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 5,306 shares of the retailer's stock after purchasing an additional 1,108 shares during the quarter. Moody National Bank Trust Division's holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $4,830,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Iowa State Bank increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 5.9% during the third quarter. Iowa State Bank now owns 2,235 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,035,000 after acquiring an additional 124 shares during the last quarter. Legacy Private Trust Co. increased its stake in Costco Wholesale by 3.8% during the 3rd quarter. Legacy Private Trust Co. now owns 8,922 shares of the retailer's stock worth $8,122,000 after buying an additional 325 shares during the period. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 15.1% in the third quarter. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton now owns 839 shares of the retailer's stock worth $764,000 after acquiring an additional 110 shares in the last quarter. Ridgewood Investments LLC grew its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 8.3% during the third quarter. Ridgewood Investments LLC now owns 234 shares of the retailer's stock worth $213,000 after buying an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Adelphi Trust Co grew its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 114.7% during the third quarter. Adelphi Trust Co now owns 2,409 shares of the retailer's stock worth $2,193,000 after purchasing an additional 1,287 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Key Stories Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: Strong membership economics: Costco ended fiscal 2026 with 84.1 million paid members and a 92.3% renewal rate in the U.S. and Canada. The recurring membership model continues to reinforce the company’s competitive moat. Is Costco’s Moat Really Worth the Premium?
• Positive Sentiment: E-commerce is becoming a larger growth engine: Digital sales exceeded $33 billion in fiscal 2026, supported by faster delivery, personalization and AI-powered search. Greater visibility among AI shopping agents could also help Costco capture additional online demand. Costco’s Digital Sales Top $33 Billion Which Retailers Do AI Agents Cite the Most?
• Positive Sentiment: Value initiatives may strengthen member retention: Price reductions on selected Kirkland Signature products, aided by tariff refunds and private-label flexibility, could widen Costco’s value advantage and support traffic during a challenging retail environment. Costco’s Kirkland Signature Price Cuts
• Positive Sentiment: Potential shareholder return catalyst: Costco’s growing cash balance has prompted speculation that the company could declare a special dividend later this year, though no payout has been announced. Could a Special Dividend Come in the Final 3 Months of the Year?
• Neutral Sentiment: Near-term sales report in focus: Costco is scheduled to release September sales results after the market closes on October 7. The update could provide a fresh read on comparable sales, traffic and membership momentum. Why Telsey Still Likes Costco Ahead of September Sales Results
• Negative Sentiment: Premium valuation remains a risk: Analysts note that COST has underperformed the broader market recently despite continued revenue, profit and membership growth. Its elevated valuation leaves less room for disappointment, and one analysis downgraded the stock on limited upside expectations. Costco: Where Does the Stock Go From Here?
• Negative Sentiment: Medicare criticism adds reputational risk: Consumer advocate Clark Howard criticized Costco’s Medicare offerings as enrollment growth slows, potentially creating member dissatisfaction or regulatory scrutiny. Clark Howard Slams Costco’s Medicare Plans

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,200 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $915.93, for a total value of $2,015,046.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 7,134 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,534,244.62. The trade was a 23.57% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

NASDAQ COST traded up $12.33 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $935.85. The company's stock had a trading volume of 1,899,699 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,197,681. The business's fifty day moving average price is $932.20 and its 200-day moving average price is $964.21. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,096.50. 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 $415.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 45.08, a P/E/G ratio of 3.93 and a beta of 0.88.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, September 24th. The retailer reported $6.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $6.54 by $0.21. The firm had revenue of $95.72 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $94.97 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 27.60% and a net margin of 3.04%.The business's revenue was up 11.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $5.87 earnings per share. As a group, analysts anticipate that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 22.86 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th were paid a $1.47 dividend. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 24th. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 28.32%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have weighed in on the company. HSBC upgraded Costco Wholesale to a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, September 25th. Mizuho cut their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,100.00 to $1,065.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, September 25th. DA Davidson raised their target price on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,040.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday, September 25th. BTIG Research reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $1,125.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Wednesday, September 23rd. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $1,175.00 price target on Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, September 25th. Twenty-two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,046.27.

Costco Wholesale Company Profile

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates a membership-based warehouse retail business under the Costco name. The company sells a broad selection of merchandise, including groceries, fresh foods, beverages, appliances, electronics, furniture, apparel, jewelry, hardware, and seasonal products. It also offers services such as gasoline, pharmacies, optical departments, hearing-aid centers, food courts, travel services, and business delivery in selected markets.

Costco markets many products under its private-label Kirkland Signature brand and sells merchandise through warehouse locations and e-commerce platforms.

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