Costco (COST): financials, SEC filings and peers
Costco (COST) is a consumer staples merchandise retail company in the Consumer Staples sector of the S&P 500, headquartered in Issaquah, Washington.
It was founded in 1976 and joined the S&P 500 on October 1, 1993.
Its fiscal year ends in August, and its shares trade on the Nasdaq.
In its SEC filings it is classified as “Retail-Variety Stores”.
Costco at a glance
- Revenue (12 months)
- $293.6B
- Revenue growth
- +9.2%
- Operating margin
- 3.8%
- Net income (12 months)
- $8.8B
- Free cash flow (12 months)
- $8.8B
- Cash
- $18.9B
- Debt
- $5.7B
- Diluted EPS (12 months)
- $19.88
Twelve months to May 10, 2026, from the 10-Q filed June 3, 2026.
Latest twelve months
Over the twelve months to May 10, 2026, Costco reported revenue of $293.6 billion, up 9.2% from a year earlier.
Its operating margin was 3.8%: for every $100 of sales, about $4 was left as operating profit.
Net income was $8.8 billion (3.0% of revenue), 12.7% higher than a year earlier.
Operating cash flow was $15.0 billion and capital spending $6.2 billion, leaving free cash flow of $8.8 billion (3.0% of revenue).
At the end of the period it held $18.9 billion in cash and $5.7 billion in debt, a net cash position of $13.3 billion.
Five-year trend
- Revenue went from $166.8 billion in fiscal 2020 to $275.2 billion in fiscal 2025, about 10.5% a year.
- Revenue has grown for 5 fiscal years in a row.
- Operating margin has been steady, around 3.8%.
- Free cash flow was positive in each of the last 6 fiscal years.
| Fiscal year | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $195.9B | $227.0B | $242.3B | $254.5B | $275.2B |
| Revenue growth | 17.5% | 15.8% | 6.8% | 5.0% | 8.2% |
| Operating margin | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.3% | 3.6% | 3.8% |
| Net income | $5.0B | $5.8B | $6.3B | $7.4B | $8.1B |
| Free cash flow | $5.4B | $3.5B | $6.7B | $6.6B | $7.8B |
| Diluted EPS | $11.27 | $13.14 | $14.16 | $16.56 | $18.21 |
Fiscal years as reported in Costco’s 10-K filings. Free cash flow is operating cash flow minus capital spending.
Recent SEC filings
- 8-K filed September 24, 2026 — Earnings results
- 8-K filed July 8, 2026 — Other event
- 10-Q filed June 3, 2026 — quarterly report
- 8-K filed May 28, 2026 — Earnings results
- 8-K filed April 15, 2026 — Other event
- 10-Q filed March 11, 2026 — quarterly report
- 8-K filed March 5, 2026 — Earnings results
- 8-K filed January 21, 2026 — Shareholder vote results; Other event
Companies like Costco
Other S&P 500 companies in Consumer Staples Merchandise Retail:
- DGDollar GeneralGoodlettsville, Tennessee
- DLTRDollar TreeChesapeake, Virginia
- TGTTarget CorporationMinneapolis, Minnesota
- WMTWalmartBentonville, Arkansas
More from Consumer Staples
Questions about Costco
Is Costco's revenue growing?
Yes. Revenue for the twelve months to May 10, 2026 was $293.6 billion, up 9.2% from a year earlier, according to its SEC filings.
Is Costco profitable?
Yes. It earned $8.8 billion in net income over the twelve months to May 10, 2026, a net margin of 3.0%.
Does Costco have more cash or more debt?
At May 10, 2026 it had $18.9 billion in cash and $5.7 billion in debt, so more cash than debt.
When did Costco last file financial results?
Its latest quarterly report (10-Q) was filed with the SEC on June 3, 2026.
Which companies are similar to Costco?
In the S&P 500, Costco is grouped in Consumer Staples Merchandise Retail within the Consumer Staples sector. Dollar General (DG), Dollar Tree (DLTR), Target Corporation (TGT), Walmart (WMT) are in the same group.
Understand the numbers
Source: Costco’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (EDGAR), retrieved September 27, 2026. Figures are as reported by the company and may be restated. This page is for information only and is not financial advice.