SouthState Bank Corp Has $23.83 Million Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

SouthState Bank Corp decreased its position in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 3.5% in the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 25,741 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 943 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale comprises about 1.1% of SouthState Bank Corp’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 19th largest holding. SouthState Bank Corp’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $23,827,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of COST. Horizon Investment Services LLC grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 34.6% during the 3rd quarter. Horizon Investment Services LLC now owns 362 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $335,000 after acquiring an additional 93 shares during the last quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. grew its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 3.3% during the third quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. now owns 6,142 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $5,685,000 after purchasing an additional 196 shares during the last quarter. Optimize Financial Inc increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 37.9% in the third quarter. Optimize Financial Inc now owns 633 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $586,000 after buying an additional 174 shares in the last quarter. Financial Alternatives Inc increased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.1% in the third quarter. Financial Alternatives Inc now owns 687 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $636,000 after buying an additional 14 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of Marin raised its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.5% in the third quarter. Bank of Marin now owns 2,850 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $2,638,000 after buying an additional 13 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have commented on COST shares. DA Davidson reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $1,000.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, December 4th. Hovde Group initiated coverage on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Tuesday, November 18th. They set a “market perform” rating and a $16.00 target price on the stock. Oppenheimer lowered their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,130.00 to $1,050.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, November 3rd. HSBC reduced their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,060.00 to $1,045.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, December 12th. Finally, Daiwa Capital Markets lowered their target price on Costco Wholesale from $947.00 to $917.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, December 16th. Twenty-one equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Costco Wholesale has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $998.50.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Susan L. Decker sold 458 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $955.00, for a total transaction of $437,390.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 8,532 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,148,060. The trade was a 5.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Javier Polit sold 558 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $862.89, for a total transaction of $481,492.62. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 10,190 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,792,849.10. This trade represents a 5.19% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold a total of 9,315 shares of company stock worth $8,549,409 over the last quarter. Insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

COST opened at $978.33 on Thursday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $911.22 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $929.80. The firm has a market capitalization of $434.25 billion, a PE ratio of 52.40, a P/E/G ratio of 5.85 and a beta of 1.01. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $844.06 and a 52 week 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.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share 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 company had revenue of $67.31 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $67.03 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $4.04 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, 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 will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 30th will be given a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 30th. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is presently 27.85%.

Key Headlines Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

• Positive Sentiment: January sales beat expectations — Costco reported retail month net sales of $21.33 billion for January, up 9.3% year-over-year, supporting growth momentum and underlying cash flow visibility. Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports January Sales Results
• Positive Sentiment: Digital and comp strength highlighted — reporting and media coverage emphasize Costco outpaced broad retail sales in January and that its digital business performed well, a near-term growth trigger for investors. Costco outpaces broad retail sales in January as its digital business shines
• Positive Sentiment: Membership revenue strength — analysts note membership fee growth (reported ~14% jump in Q1 FY26) and steady renewal behavior that supports predictable recurring revenue and margins. Costco’s Membership Model Continues to Deliver Predictable Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Exceptional renewal rates — coverage highlights a ~92% renewal rate in the U.S. & Canada (≈89.8% worldwide), reinforcing the durability of Costco’s membership “moat.” Nine Out of Ten Costco Members Renew
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support — Gordon Haskett raised its price target to $1,100, giving upside room from current levels; Telsey reaffirmed an Outperform rating, which can support buyer interest. Gordon Haskett adjusts price target on Costco
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation debate persists — pieces are probing whether Costco’s high P/E is justified after multi-year share gains and membership strength; this keeps valuation a focal point for longer-term investors. Is Costco Wholesale (COST) Pricing Reflect Lofty P/E
• Neutral Sentiment: Macro/sector context — coverage (e.g., Barron’s) notes staples stocks look frothy vs. their historical safety role, which can temper momentum if market risk appetite shifts. Staples Stocks Are Known for Safety. Now They Look Way Too Frothy.
• Negative Sentiment: Product recalls for bakery items — Costco has recalled beignets/mini-beignets and other pastries due to packaging mix-ups and undeclared nuts/allergen risks across multiple states, creating potential reputational and operational headaches for the foodservice side. Costco recall beignets
• Negative Sentiment: Labeling lawsuit — a suit challenges Costco’s “no preservatives” claim on rotisserie chicken, which could increase legal/PR risk and potential liability if the case gains traction. Lawsuit challenges Costco’s ‘no preservatives’ labeling

About Costco Wholesale

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.