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

SouthState Bank Corp decreased its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 3.5% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 25,741 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 943 shares during the period. Costco Wholesale accounts for about 1.1% of SouthState Bank Corp’s holdings, making the stock its 19th largest position. SouthState Bank Corp’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $23,827,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

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

Insider Transactions at Costco Wholesale

In other Costco Wholesale news, EVP Teresa A. Jones sold 850 shares of the firm’s 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 in the company, 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 document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 2,400 shares of Costco Wholesale 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 sale, the executive vice president directly owned 2,000 shares in the company, valued at $1,860,260. The trade was a 54.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 9,315 shares of company stock valued at $8,549,409. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Costco Wholesale Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $978.33 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $434.25 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.40, a PEG ratio of 5.85 and a beta of 1.01. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,078.23. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $911.22 and a 200 day simple moving average of $929.80. The company has a current ratio of 1.04, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share (EPS) 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 for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $67.03 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $4.04 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 18.03 EPS for the current year.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 13th. Investors of record on Friday, January 30th will be paid a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 30th. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is presently 27.85%.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on COST shares. Truist Financial lowered their price target on 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. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $1,044.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a report on Thursday, January 8th. The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price target on Costco Wholesale from $1,218.00 to $1,171.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, December 12th. Guggenheim restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. Finally, Mizuho boosted their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $1,065.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Twenty-one investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $998.50.

Costco Wholesale Company 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.