Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST Shares Sold by Mechanics Bank Trust Department

Mechanics Bank Trust Department lowered its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 4.2% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 16,284 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 714 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale accounts for 2.1% of Mechanics Bank Trust Department’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 8th largest position. Mechanics Bank Trust Department’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $15,073,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Daymark Wealth Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 3.6% during the 3rd quarter. Daymark Wealth Partners LLC now owns 26,876 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $24,878,000 after purchasing an additional 941 shares in the last quarter. Crown Wealth Group LLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 1.1% during the third quarter. Crown Wealth Group LLC now owns 1,230 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,139,000 after purchasing an additional 13 shares during the last quarter. Centennial Wealth Advisory LLC lifted its stake in Costco Wholesale by 16.6% during the third quarter. Centennial Wealth Advisory LLC now owns 1,123 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,039,000 after purchasing an additional 160 shares during the last quarter. Letson Investment Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 3.6% during the third quarter. Letson Investment Management Inc. now owns 2,429 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $2,248,000 after buying an additional 84 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Endeavor Private Wealth Inc. grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 36.6% in the third quarter. Endeavor Private Wealth Inc. now owns 474 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $439,000 after buying an additional 127 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

More Costco Wholesale News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Telsey Advisory Group reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $1,100 price target on COST, signaling material upside vs. current levels and giving investors a bullish anchor. Benzinga
• Positive Sentiment: MarketBeat includes Costco among five high‑quality stocks to own in 2026, highlighting Costco’s “premium defensive” positioning, steady membership income, and mid‑teens historical EPS compounding—support for longer‑term investor demand. Beyond the Santa Claus Rally—5 Quality Stocks to Buy in 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Local expansion: Costco is taking steps to open two new Ontario locations, which supports longer‑run membership and sales growth in Canada. Costco takes steps to open two new locations in Ontario
• Neutral Sentiment: Consumer‑facing coverage (holiday hours, product roundups, “3 things to know” pieces) reminds retail customers and investors of Costco’s brand strength but is unlikely to move the stock materially on its own. 3 Things to Know About Costco Stock Before You Buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Practical holiday coverage (e.g., New Year’s Day hours) and product arrival lists attract shoppers but are not catalysts for the stock. Is Costco open or closed on New Year’s Day 2026?
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts expect December comps to slow (consensus ~2.2% same‑store sales), and a December sales update due Jan. 7 could confirm softer near‑term trends—this is the primary immediate downside risk for the stock. Is Costco Cooling Off? Why December Sales Growth Might Look Slower
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: EVP Javier Polit sold significant blocks of shares in late‑December (SEC Form 4 filings), which can weigh on sentiment because investors sometimes read large insider sales as profit taking. SEC Form 4 – Javier Polit
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation sensitivity: COST trades at an elevated multiple (P/E mid‑40s), so the stock is vulnerable to downside if growth decelerates or macro conditions deteriorate. Market data & valuation
• Negative Sentiment: Operational/shrink risk: recent reports of cargo thefts tied to food shipments underscore logistics exposures that could add cost or cause isolated supply disruptions. Oysters, crab and $400,000 worth of lobster meat stolen in New England

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 2,400 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $930.13, for a total value of $2,232,312.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 2,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,860,260. The trade was a 54.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 2,700 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, October 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $935.68, for a total transaction of $2,526,336.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 6,851 shares in the company, valued at $6,410,343.68. This represents a 28.27% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 8,946 shares of company stock valued at $8,175,048 over the last three months. 0.10% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Costco Wholesale Stock Down 0.9%

Costco Wholesale stock opened at $854.50 on Monday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,078.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a current ratio of 1.04. The firm has a market cap of $379.29 billion, a PE ratio of 45.77, a P/E/G ratio of 5.12 and a beta of 1.02. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $894.79 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $934.32.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.27 by $0.07. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 29.35% and a net margin of 2.96%.The firm had revenue of $67.31 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $67.03 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $4.04 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts predict that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 14th. Investors of record on Friday, October 31st were issued a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, October 31st. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio is currently 27.85%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have recently commented on COST. BMO Capital Markets reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Friday, December 12th. DA Davidson reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $1,000.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, December 4th. Guggenheim reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. Truist Financial dropped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,033.00 to $926.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Finally, Evercore ISI decreased their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,025.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, September 26th. Nineteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $994.08.

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.