Eastern Bank Sells 1,218 Shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Eastern Bank lowered its stake in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 5.6% during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 20,698 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 1,218 shares during the period. Eastern Bank’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $19,159,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Norges Bank bought a new position in Costco Wholesale in the second quarter valued at about $5,692,035,000. Kingstone Capital Partners Texas LLC increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 418,980.3% in the second quarter. Kingstone Capital Partners Texas LLC now owns 2,359,422 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,335,686,000 after buying an additional 2,358,859 shares during the period. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 96,316.6% in the 2nd quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,378,758 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $1,364,888,000 after buying an additional 1,377,328 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 1.7% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 43,356,271 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $42,920,107,000 after buying an additional 711,560 shares during the period. Finally, Invesco Ltd. grew its holdings in Costco Wholesale by 9.8% during the 2nd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 4,291,557 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $4,248,384,000 after acquiring an additional 383,887 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

COST stock opened at $941.93 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $418.09 billion, a PE ratio of 50.45, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.65 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a current ratio of 1.04, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $892.90 and a 200-day moving average price of $930.49. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,078.23.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.27 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $67.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $67.03 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 29.35% and a net margin of 2.96%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $4.04 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: December sales/technical breakout: Costco reported strong December sales (digital-enabled sales up ~19%, comp growth across U.S., Canada and international markets) and technical indicators have shown a recent breakout that many traders view as bullish. December sales release
• Positive Sentiment: Mizuho upgrade / analyst interest: An upgrade and inclusion on a top‑picks list has attracted buying interest from institutions and retail investors, supporting near-term demand. Mizuho upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: Store expansion — Reports show new warehouses under construction and announcements for additional openings (including a six‑warehouse story), reinforcing mid‑to‑longer‑term revenue and membership growth potential. Costco opening 6 new warehouses
• Positive Sentiment: ETF and sector flows: ETF managers highlighted Costco as a beneficiary in a split (K‑shaped) consumer environment—investors see it as a defensive/durable consumer play versus lower‑priced competitors. K-shaped economy ETFs
• Positive Sentiment: New product distribution: Quicklly’s launch of a ready‑to‑heat Indian meals line at Costco is a minor but positive indicator of increasing SKU diversity and appeal to specialist brands. Quicklly launches at Costco
• Neutral Sentiment: Long‑term features and comparisons reiterate Costco’s durable model but don’t add an immediate catalyst; helpful for conviction but not a short‑term driver. Where Will Costco Be in 5 Years?
• Neutral Sentiment: Short‑interest reporting appears to contain data errors (zero shares reported); treat short‑interest headlines as unreliable until clarified.
• Negative Sentiment: Insider sale: EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares (SEC Form 4), reducing his stake by ~15% in that filing—small in absolute terms but often read negatively by momentum traders. SEC Form 4 — Russell D. Miller
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and risk: Costco still trades at an elevated multiple (roughly 50x earnings). That valuation leaves the stock sensitive to any signs of slowing sales or membership trends, which can amplify short‑term down moves.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on COST shares. Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Hovde Group initiated coverage on Costco Wholesale in a research report on Tuesday, November 18th. They set a “market perform” rating and a $16.00 target price for the company. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, October 9th. Gordon Haskett decreased their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,150.00 to $1,100.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, December 1st. Finally, Northcoast Research set a $1,100.00 price objective on Costco Wholesale and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 24th. Twenty-one equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $996.00.

Insider Activity at Costco Wholesale

In related news, EVP Russell D. Miller sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on 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 transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 8,240 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,550,476.80. This represents a 15.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider Tiffany Marie Barbre sold 1,239 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction on Friday, October 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $934.62, for a total transaction of $1,157,994.18. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 5,155 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,817,966.10. This trade represents a 19.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 10,446 shares of company stock worth $9,549,528. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

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.