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

Mechanics Bank Trust Department decreased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 4.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 16,284 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 714 shares during the quarter. Costco Wholesale comprises approximately 2.1% of Mechanics Bank Trust Department’s holdings, making the stock its 8th biggest holding. Mechanics Bank Trust Department’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $15,073,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Bulwark Capital Corp acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the second quarter valued at about $25,000. Soundwatch Capital LLC grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 635.7% in the second quarter. Soundwatch Capital LLC now owns 2,553 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 2,206 shares in the last quarter. LFA Lugano Financial Advisors SA purchased a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale during the second quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Anderson Financial Strategies LLC lifted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 900.0% during the first quarter. Anderson Financial Strategies LLC now owns 40 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 36 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Financial Connections Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 975.0% in the second quarter. Financial Connections Group Inc. now owns 43 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $42,000 after purchasing an additional 39 shares during the period. 68.48% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Morgan Stanley dropped their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,225.00 to $1,130.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, September 26th. Daiwa Capital Markets cut their price target on Costco Wholesale from $947.00 to $917.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, December 16th. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,134.00 to $1,146.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, December 12th. Finally, Truist Financial decreased their price target on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,033.00 to $926.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Nineteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $994.08.

Costco Wholesale Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $854.50 on Monday. 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 company has a market capitalization of $379.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 45.77, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.12 and a beta of 1.02. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a twelve month low of $844.06 and a twelve month high of $1,078.23. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $894.79 and a 200-day simple moving average of $934.32.

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

Costco Wholesale Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 14th. Investors of record on Friday, October 31st were given a dividend of $1.30 per share. 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 payout ratio is currently 27.85%.

Key Stores Impacting Costco Wholesale

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

In related news, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 2,400 shares of Costco Wholesale stock in a transaction dated 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 sale, the executive vice president directly owned 2,000 shares in the company, valued at $1,860,260. This trade represents a 54.55% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Javier Polit sold 2,049 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $867.21, for a total transaction of $1,776,913.29. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 10,748 shares in the company, valued at $9,320,773.08. The trade was a 16.01% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 8,946 shares of company stock valued at $8,175,048 in the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

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.