Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Sold by National Bank of Canada FI

Key Points

• National Bank of Canada FI cut its Costco stake by 23.2%, selling 180,776 shares in Q3 and now holds 599,620 shares worth about $554.996 million, which is 0.6% of the bank’s portfolio and its 26th-largest position.
• Costco beat quarterly expectations, reporting $4.58 EPS versus $4.55 consensus and $69.60 billion in revenue (up 9.2% YoY versus $68.96B expected); the stock trades near $1,001.74 with a $444.4B market cap and a P/E of 52.09.
• Insiders sold a total of 7,645 shares (~$7.05M) over the last three months; analysts maintain a "Moderate Buy" consensus with a $1,039.13 target, and Costco pays a $1.30 quarterly dividend (0.5% yield).

National Bank of Canada FI lowered its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST - Free Report) by 23.2% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 599,620 shares of the retailer's stock after selling 180,776 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale comprises 0.6% of National Bank of Canada FI's investment portfolio, making the stock its 26th biggest position. National Bank of Canada FI owned about 0.14% of Costco Wholesale worth $554,996,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of COST. Soundwatch Capital LLC boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 635.7% in the 2nd quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC now owns 2,553 shares of the retailer's stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 2,206 shares during the last quarter. Hurley Capital LLC raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 120.0% during the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer's stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Collier Financial purchased a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the third quarter worth approximately $36,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.48% of the company's stock.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

COST stock opened at $1,001.74 on Tuesday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52-week low of $844.06 and a 52-week high of $1,067.08. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The stock has a market cap of $444.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.09, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.10 and a beta of 1.00. The business has a fifty day moving average of $978.04 and a two-hundred day moving average of $937.45.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 5th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $68.96 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 28.57% and a net margin of 2.99%.The company's quarterly revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $4.02 EPS. As a group, 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 announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 30th were given a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 30th. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. Costco Wholesale's dividend payout ratio is presently 27.04%.

Key Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Kirkland private-label strength is being highlighted as a growing competitive moat for Costco — the brand boosts margins, differentiates the value proposition for members, and reduces price sensitivity, supporting long-term same-store sales and loyalty. How Kirkland Quietly Became Costco's Most Powerful Moat
• Positive Sentiment: Costco is piloting faster checkout technology that could reduce in-store friction, lower labor costs per transaction, and increase throughput — a potential near-term boost to store productivity and member satisfaction. Costco's New Checkout Tech Could Get You Out The Door In Just Seconds
• Positive Sentiment: Costco will lower the cost of certain fertility drugs in New Jersey through its pharmacy program — a targeted healthcare/pricing initiative that can drive foot traffic, pharmacy volumes and goodwill (modest margin impact but positive for membership value). Costco to lower cost of fertility drugs in NJ
• Positive Sentiment: High share price and sustained outperformance have put Costco on lists of potential stock-split candidates — talk of a split can buoy retail demand and reduce psychological barriers to buying at high nominal prices. 3 Stocks That Could Be Next to Announce a Stock Split
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple investment pieces continue to profile Costco as a long-term buy-and-hold name vs. peers (e.g., comparisons to Coca‑Cola and lists of top retail holdings). These reinforce bullish narratives but don’t materially change near-term fundamentals. Best Stock to Buy and Hold Forever: Costco vs. Coca-Cola
• Neutral Sentiment: Negotiations to site a new Asheville, NC Costco appear to have re-engaged — a potential local expansion that could add incremental sales over time but is still early-stage. Is Asheville Costco still possible? Store 'reengages' in negotiations
• Negative Sentiment: Costco has recalled prepared meatloaf meal kits and warned consumers after potential Salmonella contamination in multiple states. Food-safety recalls can hit short-term sales in affected categories, raise inspection/compliance costs, and create reputational risk if issues widen. Costco recalls prepared meatloaf meals over possible Salmonella risk

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $986.26, for a total transaction of $838,321.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 4,228 shares of the company's stock, valued at $4,169,907.28. This trade represents a 16.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $916.32, for a total transaction of $1,374,480.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 8,240 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $7,550,476.80. This represents a 15.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 7,645 shares of company stock valued at $7,049,302 over the last three months. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

COST has been the subject of several research reports. HSBC dropped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,045.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Oppenheimer raised their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,050.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "hold (c+)" rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, December 29th. Daiwa Securities Group increased their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $917.00 to $975.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 10th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $1,044.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Twenty-two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,039.13.

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.

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