ISSAQUAH, Wash., Sept. 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Costco Wholesale Corporation (“Costco” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: COST) today announced its operating results for the 16-week fourth quarter and the 52-week fiscal year ended August 30, 2026.
Net sales for the quarter increased 11.2 percent, to $93.9 billion, from $84.4 billion last year. Net sales for the fiscal year increased 10.1 percent, to $297.2 billion, from $269.9 billion last year.
Comparable sales for the fourth quarter and fiscal year were as follows:
16 Weeks 16 Weeks 52 Weeks 52 Weeks Adjusted* Adjusted*U.S.10.7% 7.2% 8.2% 6.6%Canada5.0% 4.6% 7.8% 6.7%Other International7.0% 6.2% 9.8% 6.5% Total Company9.4% 6.7% 8.4% 6.6% Digitally-Enabled19.5% 19.8% 20.9% 20.7%*Excluding the impacts from changes in gasoline prices and foreign exchange.
Net income for the fourth quarter was $2.998 billion, $6.75 per diluted share, compared to $2.610 billion, $5.87 per diluted share, last year. This year’s fourth quarter was positively impacted by a non-recurring benefit of $0.15 per diluted share from IEEPA tariff refunds received in the quarter, less partial reinvestment of those refunds in increased member values. Net income for the fiscal year was $9.226 billion, $20.76 per diluted share, compared to $8.099 billion, $18.21 per diluted share, last year.
Costco currently operates 939 warehouses, including 647 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 115 in Canada, 43 in Mexico, 37 in Japan, 29 in the United Kingdom, 20 in Korea, 15 in Australia, 14 in Taiwan, seven in China, five in Spain, three in France, two in Sweden, and one each in Iceland, and New Zealand. Costco also operates e-commerce sites in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Mexico, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Australia, and China.
A conference call to discuss these results is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. (PT) today, September 24, 2026, and will be available via a webcast on investor.costco.com (click “Events & Presentations”).
Certain statements contained in this document constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For these purposes, forward-looking statements are statements that address activities, events, conditions or developments that the Company expects or anticipates may occur in the future. In some cases forward-looking statements can be identified because they contain words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “likely,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would,” or similar expressions and the negatives of those terms. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual events, results or performance to differ materially from those indicated by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, domestic and international economic conditions, including exchange rates, inflation or deflation, the effects of competition and regulation, uncertainties in the financial markets, consumer and small business spending patterns and debt levels, breaches of security or privacy of member or business information, conditions affecting the acquisition, development, ownership or use of real estate, capital spending, actions of vendors, rising costs associated with employees (generally including health-care costs and wages), workforce interruptions, energy and certain commodities, geopolitical conditions (including tariffs and global conflicts), the ability to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting, regulatory and other impacts related to environmental and social matters, public-health related factors, and other risks identified from time to time in the Company’s public statements and reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company does not undertake to update these statements, except as required by law. Comparable sales and comparable sales excluding impacts from changes in gasoline prices and foreign exchange are intended as supplemental information and are not a substitute for net sales presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
CONTACTS:Costco Wholesale Corporation Josh Dahmen, 425/313-8254 Andrew Yoon, 425/313-6305 Bryan Starnes, 425/427-7403COST-Earn
COSTCO WHOLESALE CORPORATIONCONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(dollars in millions, except per share data) (unaudited)
16 Weeks Ended 52 Weeks Ended August 30, 2026 August 31, 2025 August 30, 2026 August 31, 2025REVENUE Net sales $93,873 $84,432 $297,247 $269,912 Membership fees 1,850 1,724 5,907 5,323 Total revenue 95,723 86,156 303,154 275,235 OPERATING EXPENSES Merchandise costs 83,531 75,037 264,279 239,886 Selling, general and administrative 8,391 7,778 27,190 24,966 Operating income 3,801 3,341 11,685 10,383 OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE) Interest expense (45) (46) (145) (154)Interest income and other, net 253 215 711 589 INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES 4,009 3,510 12,251 10,818 Provision for income taxes 1,011 900 3,025 2,719 NET INCOME $2,998 $2,610 $9,226 $8,099 NET INCOME PER COMMON SHARE: Basic $6.75 $5.88 $20.78 $18.24 Diluted $6.75 $5.87 $20.76 $18.21 Shares used in calculation (000’s): Basic 443,975 444,007 443,953 443,985 Diluted 444,364 444,706 444,427 444,803
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(amounts in millions, except par value and share data) (unaudited)
Subject to Reclassification August 30,
2026 August 31,
2025ASSETS CURRENT ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents $20,207 $14,161 Short-term investments 1,094 1,123 Receivables, net 3,959 3,203 Merchandise inventories 19,324 18,116 Other current assets 1,998 1,777 Total current assets 46,582 38,380 OTHER ASSETS Property and equipment, net 35,633 31,909 Operating lease right-of-use assets 2,697 2,725 Other long-term assets 4,133 4,085 TOTAL ASSETS $89,045 $77,099 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY CURRENT LIABILITIES Accounts payable $22,591 $19,783 Accrued salaries and benefits 5,641 5,205 Accrued member rewards 3,037 2,677 Deferred membership fees 3,006 2,854 Current portion of long-term debt 2,248 75 Other current liabilities 7,429 6,514 Total current liabilities 43,952 37,108 OTHER LIABILITIES Long-term debt, excluding current portion 3,914 5,713 Long-term operating lease liabilities 2,414 2,460 Other long-term liabilities 2,962 2,654 TOTAL LIABILITIES 53,242 47,935 COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES EQUITY Preferred stock $0.005 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued and outstanding — — Common stock $0.005 par value; 900,000,000 shares authorized; 443,266,000 and 443,237,000 shares issued and outstanding 2 2 Additional paid-in capital 8,830 8,282 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (1,620) (1,770)Retained earnings 28,591 22,650 TOTAL EQUITY 35,803 29,164 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY $89,045 $77,099
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(amounts in millions) (unaudited)
Subject to Reclassification 52 Weeks Ended August 30,
2026 August 31,
2025CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES Net income $9,226 $8,099 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation and amortization 2,674 2,426 Non-cash lease expense 318 303 Stock-based compensation 924 860 Other non-cash operating activities, net 355 (117)Changes in working capital 2,328 1,764 Net cash provided by operating activities 15,825 13,335 CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES Additions to property and equipment (6,435) (5,498)Purchases of short-term investments (788) (1,028)Maturities of short-term investments 811 1,141 Other investing activities, net 26 74 Net cash used in investing activities (6,386) (5,311)CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES Repayments of short-term borrowings (577) (862)Proceeds from short-term borrowings 553 816 Repayments of long-term debt (69) (103)Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt 496 — Tax withholdings on stock-based awards (361) (393)Repurchases of common stock (848) (903)Cash dividend payments (2,458) (2,183)Financing lease payments and other financing activities, net (91) (147)Net cash used in financing activities (3,355) (3,775)EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS (38) 6 Net change in cash and cash equivalents 6,046 4,255 CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS BEGINNING OF YEAR 14,161 9,906 CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS END OF YEAR $20,207 $14,161