ISSAQUAH, Wash., May 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Costco Wholesale Corporation (“Costco” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: COST) today announced its operating results for the third quarter (twelve weeks) and the first 36 weeks of fiscal 2026, ended May 10, 2026.
Net sales for the quarter increased 11.6 percent, to $69.15 billion, from $61.96 billion last year. Net sales for the first 36 weeks increased 9.6 percent, to $203.37 billion, from $185.48 billion last year.
Comparable sales for the third quarter and first 36 weeks of fiscal 2026 were as follows:
12 Weeks 12 Weeks 36 Weeks 36 Weeks Adjusted* Adjusted*U.S.9.4% 6.8% 7.1% 6.4%Canada10.7% 6.2% 9.1% 7.6%Other International11.2% 5.9% 11.0% 6.6% Total Company9.8% 6.6% 7.9% 6.6% Digitally-Enabled21.5% 20.8% 21.6% 21.1%*Excluding the impacts from changes in gasoline prices and foreign exchange.
Net income for the quarter was $2.19 billion, $4.93 per diluted share, compared to $1.90 billion, $4.28 per diluted share, last year. Net income for the first 36 weeks was $6.23 billion, $14.01 per diluted share, compared to $5.49 billion, $12.34 per diluted share, last year.
Costco currently operates 931 warehouses, including 639 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, May 28, 2026, and is available via a webcast on investor.costco.com (click on “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 CORPORATIONCONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(dollars in millions, except per share data) (unaudited)
12 Weeks Ended 36 Weeks Ended May 10, 2026 May 11, 2025 May 10, 2026 May 11, 2025REVENUE Net sales $69,154 $61,965 $203,374 $185,480 Membership fees 1,373 1,240 4,057 3,599 Total revenue 70,527 63,205 207,431 189,079 OPERATING EXPENSES Merchandise costs 61,519 54,996 180,748 164,849 Selling, general and administrative 6,193 5,679 18,799 17,188 Operating income 2,815 2,530 7,884 7,042 OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE) Interest expense (32) (35) (100) (108)Interest income and other, net 155 85 458 374 INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES 2,938 2,580 8,242 7,308 Provision for income taxes 746 677 2,014 1,819 NET INCOME $2,192 $1,903 $6,228 $5,489 NET INCOME PER COMMON SHARE: Basic $4.94 $4.29 $14.03 $12.36 Diluted $4.93 $4.28 $14.01 $12.34 Shares used in calculation (000s): Basic 443,923 443,958 443,943 443,976 Diluted 444,430 444,762 444,455 444,846
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(amounts in millions, except par value and share data) (unaudited)
Subject to Reclassification May 10,
2026 August 31,
2025ASSETS CURRENT ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents $18,946 $14,161 Short-term investments 1,050 1,123 Receivables, net 3,750 3,203 Merchandise inventories 19,418 18,116 Other current assets 2,013 1,777 Total current assets 45,177 38,380 OTHER ASSETS Property and equipment, net 34,293 31,909 Operating lease right-of-use assets 2,747 2,725 Other long-term assets 4,213 4,085 TOTAL ASSETS $86,430 $77,099 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY CURRENT LIABILITIES Accounts payable $22,363 $19,783 Accrued salaries and benefits 5,218 5,205 Accrued member rewards 2,948 2,677 Deferred membership fees 3,157 2,854 Other current liabilities 8,439 6,589 Total current liabilities 42,125 37,108 OTHER LIABILITIES Long-term debt, excluding current portion 5,670 5,713 Long-term operating lease liabilities 2,466 2,460 Other long-term liabilities 2,660 2,654 TOTAL LIABILITIES 52,921 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; 443,514,000 and 443,237,000 shares issued and outstanding 2 2 Additional paid-in capital 8,683 8,282 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (1,658) (1,770)Retained earnings 26,482 22,650 TOTAL EQUITY 33,509 29,164 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY $86,430 $77,099
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(amounts in millions) (unaudited)
Subject to Reclassification 36 Weeks Ended May 10,
2026 May 11,
2025CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES Net income $6,228 $5,489 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation and amortization 1,791 1,652 Non-cash lease expense 221 208 Stock-based compensation 771 720 Other non-cash operating activities, net 36 (15)Changes in working capital 2,086 1,414 Net cash provided by operating activities 11,133 9,468 CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES Additions to property and equipment (4,228) (3,532)Purchases of short-term investments (480) (573)Maturities of short-term investments 544 786 Other investing activities, net 4 (24)Net cash used in investing activities (4,160) (3,343)CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES Repayments of short-term borrowings (390) (635)Proceeds from short-term borrowings 459 616 Repayments of long-term debt (69) — Tax withholdings on stock-based awards (361) (392)Repurchases of common stock (603) (623)Cash dividend payments (1,154) (1,030)Financing lease payments and other financing activities, net (57) (118)Net cash used in financing activities (2,175) (2,182)EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS (13) (13)Net change in cash and cash equivalents 4,785 3,930 CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS BEGINNING OF YEAR 14,161 9,906 CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS END OF PERIOD $18,946 $13,836