MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB Decreases Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB reduced its position in Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 4.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 15,087 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 690 shares during the period. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $13,965,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. O Brien Wealth Partners LLC boosted its position in Costco Wholesale by 31.0% during the third quarter. O Brien Wealth Partners LLC now owns 93 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $86,000 after purchasing an additional 22 shares in the last quarter. Absher Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Costco Wholesale by 0.4% during the 3rd quarter. Absher Wealth Management LLC now owns 24,769 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $22,927,000 after buying an additional 107 shares during the last quarter. Cerity Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 2.5% in the 3rd quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 403,482 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $373,476,000 after buying an additional 9,775 shares in the last quarter. McIlrath & Eck LLC boosted its position in shares of Costco Wholesale by 3.4% in the 3rd quarter. McIlrath & Eck LLC now owns 6,437 shares of the retailer’s stock worth $5,958,000 after buying an additional 209 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Gunderson Capital Management Inc. grew its stake in Costco Wholesale by 13.1% in the 3rd quarter. Gunderson Capital Management Inc. now owns 448 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $415,000 after acquiring an additional 52 shares during the last quarter. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the stock. DA Davidson restated a “neutral” rating and set a $1,000.00 target price on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research report on Thursday, December 4th. Northcoast Research set a $1,100.00 price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 24th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on Costco Wholesale from $1,000.00 to $900.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 19th. HSBC lowered their target price 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 dropped their price target on Costco Wholesale from $947.00 to $917.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. Twenty equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $994.08.

Costco Wholesale Stock Up 1.5%

COST stock opened at $889.10 on Wednesday. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $893.00 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $932.98. 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 stock has a market capitalization of $394.64 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.62, a PEG ratio of 5.25 and a beta of 1.02. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a one year low of $844.06 and a one year high of $1,078.23.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 11th. The retailer reported $4.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.27 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $67.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $67.03 billion. Costco Wholesale had a return on equity of 29.35% and a net margin of 2.96%.The business’s revenue was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $4.04 earnings per share. As a group, 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 declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 31st were paid a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, October 31st. Costco Wholesale’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 27.85%.

Costco Wholesale News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Mizuho upgraded COST to “outperform” and raised its $1,000 price target, citing renewed growth optimism and valuation support — a clear near‑term bullish catalyst for share demand. A Look At Costco (COST) Valuation After Mizuho Upgrade And Renewed Growth Optimism
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple analyst upgrades and commentary (including talk of a possible special dividend) have lifted sentiment and institutional interest, reinforcing upside expectations. Costco Stock (COST) Gets Multiple Analyst Upgrades to Start the New Year
• Positive Sentiment: Logistics expansion: a new Costco distribution center in Port St. Lucie is expected to open in March 2026, which should improve regional inventory flow and support store growth in Florida. Costco distribution center in Port St. Lucie expected to open March 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Membership/value initiatives: Costco partnerships (e.g., discounted EV programs) and an improving digital ecosystem are highlighted as ways to boost member engagement and ancillary revenue. You Can Get A Discounted Cadillac Or Volvo EV If You’re A Costco Member
• Positive Sentiment: International progress: Costco NZ turned profitable ($9.6M) as revenue climbed — positive proof of overseas unit economics and marginal contribution to consolidated results. From red to black: Costco NZ posts $9.6m profit as revenue climbs
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst/industry views highlighting Costco’s digital push and same‑day delivery as a growing engine for sales and member loyalty. Costco’s Digital Ecosystem Emerges as a Powerful Growth Engine
• Neutral Sentiment: Consumer interest/content pieces (hot‑dog facts, shopping tips) are driving retail traffic but have minimal direct impact on fundamentals. 9 Costco Hot Dog Facts Only A True Food Court Fan Would Know
• Neutral Sentiment: Media/TV mentions (e.g., Jim Cramer) and inclusion in “long‑term hold” lists support ongoing retail/investor interest but are not immediate earnings catalysts. Cramer’s Stop Trading: Costco
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and recent price pressure: several pieces note COST’s lofty P/E and that the stock has pulled back ~18% from its one‑year high, raising near‑term downside risk if sales/membership trends disappoint. Costco (NASDAQ: COST) Price Prediction and Forecast (January 2026)
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage noting sluggish sales/membership growth and suggestions for fixes underline that operational execution matters for sustaining the premium multiple. 5 Ways Costco Stock Could Regain Its Mojo

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider Tiffany Marie Barbre sold 1,239 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $934.62, for a total value of $1,157,994.18. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 5,155 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,817,966.10. The trade was a 19.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP William Richard Wilcox sold 2,400 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $930.13, for a total transaction of $2,232,312.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 2,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,860,260. This trade represents a 54.55% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 8,946 shares of company stock worth $8,175,048 over the last 90 days. 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.