Screener / SEC EDGAR /CIK 0000909832 /Numbers from the XBRL of the 10-Ks
Nasdaq Consumer staples · Discount Stores

Costco COST

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Cash returned and share count, year to Aug 30, 2026

Bought back $848.0M of its own shares, 0.9× what it paid in stock

XBRL, latest 10-K
Buybacks $848.0M cash paid for its own shares
Paid in stock to employees $924.0M stock-based compensation
Share count, 1 year -0.1% fewer shares: each share owns more
Share count, 3 years 0.0% diluted average shares

New shares against shares bought back

Dilution: new shares, stock pay and buybacks · S-3 and 424B, 3 years; 10-K

Shares offered

Since Nov 15, 2023: no share offering; also 1 debt shelf.

Every offering filing

Paid in stock

$924.0M

stock-based pay, year to Aug 30, 2026

Bought back

$848.0M

cash paid for its own shares, year to Aug 30, 2026: 0.9× the stock pay

Diluted shares: 444.43M in the year to Aug 30, 2026 2026 -0.1%2025 0.0%2024 +0.1%2023 -0.1%

Change in the diluted weighted average share count from the fiscal year before, stock splits taken out. Bars use one scale for stock pay and buybacks. Prospectuses are read from their cover page; preliminary ones are left out. How

Net share count, 4 years

Shares, buybacks and stock pay, fiscal years 2022 to 2026 · 10-K XBRL

-0.1% shares
Share count -0.1% diluted average shares, 4 years to Aug 30, 2026, splits taken out
Bought back $3.1B cash paid for its own shares, summed over the 4 years
Paid in stock $3.4B stock-based compensation, summed over the same years
Fiscal yearShares, changeBought backPaid in stockCash from shares sold
Aug 30, 2026 -0.1% $848.0M $924.0M -
Aug 31, 2025 0.0% $903.0M $860.0M -
Sep 1, 2024 +0.1% $700.0M $818.0M -
Sep 3, 2023 -0.1% $676.0M $774.0M -

Each year's change is the diluted weighted average share count against the year before, with stock splits taken out; the headline change compares the two ends of the span on one basis. Buybacks and stock pay are added up over the same years. Buybacks that only offset stock pay leave the count flat: both are shown, no verdict. How

Where the cash came from and where it went

FY2022 to FY2026, from the cash flow statements in the 10-Ks, added up

Operating cash flowDebt raisedCapital spendingBuybacksDividendsDebt repaidAdded to cashOther, net Operating cash flow: $59.0B Operating cash flow $59.0B Debt raised: $994.0M Debt raised $994.0M Capital spending: $24.9B Capital spending $24.9B Buybacks: $3.6B Buybacks $3.6B Dividends: $16.4B Dividends $16.4B Debt repaid: $2.1B Debt repaid $2.1B Added to cash: $8.9B Added to cash $8.9B Other, net: $4.0B Other, net $4.0B

The same cash, step by step

Operating cash flow: $59.0B · NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities, 0000909832-24-000049; NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities, 0000909832-25-000101; NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities, 0000909832-26-000093 +$59.0B
Operating cash flow
Debt raised: $994.0M · ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt, 0000909832-24-000049; ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt, 0000909832-25-000101; ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt, 0000909832-26-000093 +$994.0M
Debt raised
Capital spending: $24.9B · PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment, 0000909832-24-000049; PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment, 0000909832-25-000101; PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment, 0000909832-26-000093 −$24.9B
Capital spending
Buybacks: $3.6B · PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock, 0000909832-24-000049; PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock, 0000909832-25-000101; PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock, 0000909832-26-000093 −$3.6B
Buybacks
Dividends: $16.4B · PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock, 0000909832-24-000049; PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock, 0000909832-25-000101; PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock, 0000909832-26-000093 −$16.4B
Dividends
Debt repaid: $2.1B · RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt, 0000909832-24-000049; RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt, 0000909832-25-000101; RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt, 0000909832-26-000093 −$2.1B
Debt repaid
Added to cash: $8.9B · CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecreaseIncludingExchangeRateEffect, 0000909832-24-000049; CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecreaseIncludingExchangeRateEffect, 0000909832-25-000101; CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecreaseIncludingExchangeRateEffect, 0000909832-26-000093 −$8.9B
Added to cash
Other, net: $4.0B · investments bought and sold, other financing and investing lines, and exchange rates −$4.0B
Other, net

Came from

Operating cash flow
NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities, 0000909832-24-000049; NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities, 0000909832-25-000101; NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities, 0000909832-26-000093
$59.0B
Debt raised
ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt, 0000909832-24-000049; ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt, 0000909832-25-000101; ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt, 0000909832-26-000093
$994.0M

Went to

Capital spending
PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment, 0000909832-24-000049; PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment, 0000909832-25-000101; PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment, 0000909832-26-000093
$24.9B
Buybacks
PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock, 0000909832-24-000049; PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock, 0000909832-25-000101; PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock, 0000909832-26-000093
$3.6B
Dividends
PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock, 0000909832-24-000049; PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock, 0000909832-25-000101; PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock, 0000909832-26-000093
$16.4B
Debt repaid
RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt, 0000909832-24-000049; RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt, 0000909832-25-000101; RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt, 0000909832-26-000093
$2.1B
Added to cash
CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecreaseIncludingExchangeRateEffect, 0000909832-24-000049; CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecreaseIncludingExchangeRateEffect, 0000909832-25-000101; CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecreaseIncludingExchangeRateEffect, 0000909832-26-000093
$8.9B
Other, net
investments bought and sold, other financing and investing lines, and exchange rates
$4.0B

Each number is a line of the cash flow statement as the company tagged it. "Other, net" is what those lines do not cover (investments bought and sold, other financing and investing lines, and exchange rates); Tickdelta does not estimate it.

Where the operating cash went, year by year

FY2017 to FY2026 · cash flow statements, 10-K XBRL

10 years
Operating cash, added up $95.6B 10 fiscal years, FY2017 to FY2026
Reinvested 42% capital spending and acquisitions, as a share of that cash
Returned to owners 36% buybacks and dividends, as a share of that cash
Debt repaid $7.8B gross repayments added up; debt that was refinanced counts each time
Fiscal yearOperating cashCapital spendingBuybacksDividendsDebt repaid
Aug 30, 2026 $15.8B $6.4B$848.0M$2.5B$69.0M
Aug 31, 2025 $13.3B $5.5B$903.0M$2.2B$103.0M
Sep 1, 2024 $11.3B $4.7B$700.0M$9.0B$1.1B
Sep 3, 2023 $11.1B $4.3B$676.0M$1.3B$75.0M
Aug 28, 2022 $7.4B $3.9B$439.0M$1.5B$800.0M
Aug 29, 2021 $9.0B $3.6B$496.0M$5.7B$94.0M
Aug 30, 2020 $8.9B $2.8B$196.0M$1.5B$3.2B
Sep 1, 2019 $6.4B $3.0B$247.0M$1.0B$89.0M
Sep 2, 2018 $5.8B $3.0B$328.0M$689.0M$86.0M
Sep 3, 2017 $6.7B $2.5B$469.0M$3.9B$2.2B
Added up$95.6B $39.7B
42% of operating cash
$5.3B
6% of operating cash
$29.3B
31% of operating cash
$7.8B
8% of operating cash

Each bar is one fiscal year; its colours add up to what the cash flow statement says the company spent on each line, and the line across it is that year's operating cash flow. Spending above the line was paid from new debt, shares sold or cash on hand. A bar part links to the 10-K it comes from. A line the company did not report is left out, not estimated, so the shares are of operating cash only and can add up to more or less than 100%. Debt repaid is the gross amount, so refinanced debt is counted each time it is repaid. A reading aid, not a grade: Tickdelta does not say whether a split was good. Banks and insurers are left out.

Buybacks, dividends and share count

Year by year · XBRL, each 10-K

Fiscal year toBuybacksDividendsDiluted shares
Aug 30, 2026$848.0M $2.5B 444.43M
Aug 31, 2025$903.0M $2.2B 444.80M
Sep 1, 2024$700.0M $9.0B 444.76M
Sep 3, 2023$676.0M $1.3B 444.45M
Aug 28, 2022$439.0M $1.5B 444.76M

From the XBRL of the 10-Ks (cash flow statement and diluted weighted average shares); each year as reported in the latest 10-K that includes it. Concepts: buybacks = PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock; dividends = PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock; sbc = ShareBasedCompensation; diluted_shares = WeightedAverageNumberOfDilutedSharesOutstanding.

Dividend per share, year by year

Dividends · declared per share, each 10-K; cash paid, cash flow statement

Per share, FY2026 $5.54 declared in the fiscal year to Aug 30, 2026
Against the year before ▲+12.6% dividend per share
Years in a row raised 1 to FY2026, per share
Cash paid out $2.5B cash flow statement, FY2026
Years paid in a row 4 fiscal years, to FY2026, dividend per share above zero
Growth a year, FY2023 to FY2026 +13.0% $3.84 to $5.54 per share, 3 years
Fiscal year toPer shareAgainst year beforeCash paid out
Aug 30, 2026 $5.54 ▲+12.6% $2.5B
Aug 31, 2025 $4.92 ▼-74.6% $2.2B
Sep 1, 2024 $19.36 - $9.0B
Sep 3, 2023 $3.84 - $1.3B
Aug 28, 2022 - - $1.5B
Sep 1, 2019 $2.44 ▲+14.0% -
Sep 2, 2018 $2.14 ▼-76.0% -
Sep 3, 2017 $8.90 - -

Dividend per share as the company tagged it (CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared), from the latest 10-K that reports each year, so a stock split is already in it. A change is left blank when the year before is missing or the jump is more than five times.

Buybacks month by month, and what is left to buy

Share buybacks · 10-Q, Part II Item 2, latest 4 quarters

“Our share repurchase program is conducted under a $4,000 authorization approved by our Board of Directors in January 2023, which expires in January 2027.”

10-Q, Part II Item 2
MonthShares boughtAverage price
May 2026 61,000 $999.96
Apr 2026 62,000 $994.33
Mar 2026 61,000 $998.15
Feb 2026 72,000 $977.69
Jan 2026 78,000 $894.05
Dec 2025 79,000 $884.85
Nov 2025 76,000 $915.59
Oct 2025 75,000 $928.84
Sep 2025 74,000 $952.37
May 2025 71,000 $988.05
Apr 2025 76,000 $922.61
Mar 2025 68,000 $1025.03

Shares and average price are the numbers in the 10-Q table, row by row; "shares × price" is our multiplication of the two. A row with a price of "-" is an accelerated repurchase paid up front, where the 10-Q does not give a price yet. A 10-Q that counts shares in millions gives a rounded number, shown as "about". Shares withheld for employees' taxes are not in this table. A month that no 10-Q table gives, or that this page could not read with confidence, is not shown.

What it paid for each share it bought back

Price paid · 10-K, statement of shareholders' equity

Cheapest year $157.77 fiscal year to Sep 3, 2017
Dearest year $957.58 fiscal year to Aug 31, 2025
Average over these years $411.20 $5.3B spent

What COST paid on average for each share it bought back, each fiscal year: dollars spent divided by shares bought, both from the 10-K.

Fiscal year toShares boughtSpentAverage price
Aug 30, 2026 891K$847.0M $950.62
Aug 31, 2025 943K$903.0M $957.58
Sep 1, 2024 1.00M$698.0M $695.22
Sep 3, 2023 1.34M$677.0M $504.85
Aug 28, 2022 863K$442.0M $512.17
Aug 29, 2021 1.36M$495.0M $364.51
Aug 30, 2020 643K$198.0M $307.93
Sep 1, 2019 1.10M$247.0M $225.16
Sep 2, 2018 1.76M$322.0M $183.37
Sep 3, 2017 3.00M$473.0M $157.77

Shares and dollars from the statement of shareholders' equity (the cash flow line also counts shares withheld for taxes, so it is not used). Share counts filed before a stock split are put on today's count. A year where the 10-K does not tag both numbers is left out.

What the 10-Ks show for each CEO's years

Each CEO's years · the CEO of each fiscal year as named in the proxy's pay versus performance table

Ron M. Vachris

FY2025 · 1 year in the table
Operating cash flow
$13.3B
Capital spending
$5.5B
Buybacks
$903.0M
Dividends
$2.2B
Stock-based pay
$860.0M
Diluted shares since FY2024
+0.0%
Revenue since FY2024
+8%
Debt since FY2024
-$109.0M
CEO pay (reported)
$13.9M
The proxy that names the CEO

Ron M. Vachris, W. Craig Jelinek

FY2024 · 1 year in the table
Operating cash flow
$11.3B
Capital spending
$4.7B
Buybacks
$700.0M
Dividends
$9.0B
Stock-based pay
$818.0M
Diluted shares since FY2023
+0.1%
Revenue since FY2023
+5%
Debt since FY2023
-$561.0M
CEO pay (reported)
$28.3M
The proxy that names the CEO

W. Craig Jelinek

FY2021 to FY2023 · 3 years in the table
Operating cash flow
$27.4B
Capital spending
$11.8B
Buybacks
$1.6B
Dividends
$8.5B
Stock-based pay
$2.2B
Diluted shares since FY2020
+0.1%
Revenue since FY2020
+45%
Debt since FY2020
-$1.2B
CEO pay (reported)
$35.6M
The proxy that names the CEO

Sources

The cash flow statement, dividends per share and diluted share count in each 10-K's XBRL; Part II Item 2 of each 10-Q for monthly buybacks; offering prospectuses (S-3, 424B) for new shares; Form D data sets for private raises.

Also

CEO pay: what the CEO was paid over the same years.

Work with it

Excel workbook · CSV. Google Sheet that stays up to date: paste =IMPORTDATA("https://tickdelta.com/company/COST/export.csv") into a cell.

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