Fifth Third Bancorp Has $193.34 Million Stock Holdings in Costco Wholesale Corporation $COST

Fifth Third Bancorp decreased its holdings in shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) by 2.1% in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 224,205 shares of the retailer’s stock after selling 4,714 shares during the quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp’s holdings in Costco Wholesale were worth $193,341,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Hurley Capital LLC grew its position in Costco Wholesale by 120.0% in the third quarter. Hurley Capital LLC now owns 33 shares of the retailer’s stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares during the period. Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the fourth quarter valued at $33,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Costco Wholesale during the third quarter valued at $34,000. Collier Financial acquired a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter valued at $35,000. Finally, AXS Investments LLC bought a new stake in shares of Costco Wholesale in the 3rd quarter worth about $36,000. 68.48% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Costco Wholesale Trading Up 1.6%

Shares of NASDAQ COST opened at $1,014.53 on Friday. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 1-year low of $844.06 and a 1-year high of $1,067.08. The company has a market cap of $450.10 billion, a PE ratio of 52.76, a P/E/G ratio of 4.92 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a current ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The company has a 50-day moving average of $996.93 and a two-hundred day moving average of $949.91.

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, March 11th. The retailer reported $4.58 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.55 by $0.03. Costco Wholesale had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 28.57%. The business had revenue of $69.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $68.96 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $4.02 earnings per share. Costco Wholesale’s revenue was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts expect that Costco Wholesale Corporation will post 20.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Costco Wholesale Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 1st will be paid a $1.47 dividend. This is an increase from Costco Wholesale’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 1st. This represents a $5.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Costco Wholesale’s payout ratio is 30.58%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Costco Wholesale

In other news, EVP Claudine Adamo sold 730 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,003.02, for a total transaction of $732,204.60. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 6,121 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,139,485.42. This represents a 10.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

COST has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their target price on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,171.00 to $1,088.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, March 6th. BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on shares of Costco Wholesale from $1,175.00 to $1,315.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. Roth Mkm reiterated a “sell” rating on shares of Costco Wholesale in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. UBS Group set a $1,175.00 target price on Costco Wholesale in a report on Friday, March 6th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $1,155.00 price target on shares of Costco Wholesale in a report on Monday, February 9th. Twenty-two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Costco Wholesale currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,045.97.

Costco Wholesale News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Erste Group nudged its FY2027 EPS forecast slightly higher for COST, a modest analyst upgrade that supports upside to consensus earnings expectations and reinforces investor confidence. Costco Stock — MarketBeat
• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan research highlighted Costco as roughly “60% cheaper than traditional grocery,” underscoring its pricing advantage and the widening value gap versus peers — a tailwind for share gains during price-sensitive consumer periods. Costco Is ‘60% Cheaper Than Traditional Grocery,’ Says JPMorgan
• Positive Sentiment: Jim Cramer and coverage of CEO Ron Vachris’s comments from the Q2 call (emphasis on being first to cut prices and last to raise them) are reinforcing the narrative of resilient comp performance and margin management. That commentary is keeping investor sentiment constructive. Jim Cramer sends a message on Costco stock
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple bullish retail pieces (e.g., 247WallStreet’s “I Can’t Stop Buying COST Stock”) and technical traders calling COST a stock “finding its footing” add buy-side interest and momentum-chasing flows. I Can’t Stop Buying COST Stock. Here’s Why.
• Neutral Sentiment: Costco quietly changed its long-standing $1.50 hot dog combo (format/ingredients) — a symbolic brand move that highlights operational choices but is unlikely to move near-term fundamentals materially. Costco quietly changes its $1.50 hot dog deal
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst and comparison pieces (TipRanks / Fool coverage) reiterate Costco’s strong price competitiveness vs. WMT/AMZN but also contrast business models — useful context for positioning but not an immediate catalyst. COST vs WMT vs AMZN: ‘Costco Remains the Most Price Competitive,’ Analyst Says
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation debate: several pieces ask whether Costco’s strong YTD run leaves limited upside and whether investors are paying up for growth (articles questioning “is it too late?”), which can cap gains and encourage some profit-taking. Is It Too Late To Consider Costco Wholesale (COST) After Its Strong Year To Date Run?
• Negative Sentiment: Competitive-framing pieces note Walmart’s evolving ad/data businesses as potential near-term upside versus Costco’s steadier membership model — a comparison that can shift some investor preference away from COST for tactical allocations. Costco vs. Walmart Stock: What’s the Better Consumer Staples Buy?

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.