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Costco
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Costco Company Overview

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Costco

● Active
Retail · Issaquah, WA · Est. 1983
RetailWholesaleE-commerceConsumer↗ Website
$410B
Valuation
$268B
Revenue
316k+
Employees
1983
Founded

Costco Wholesale is a membership-based warehouse club retailer that operates large-format stores selling a curated selection of merchandise at deeply discounted prices. Serving over 130 million cardholders globally, Costco operates 890+ warehouses in 14 countries and runs one of the largest e-commerce and private-label (Kirkland Signature) businesses in retail.

Recent Press
5 items
Press Release·2026-03-05
Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports Second Quarter and Year-to-Date Operating Results for Fiscal 2026
Costco reported net sales of $68.24 billion for the second quarter of fiscal 2026, an increase of 9.1% year-over-year, with net income of $2.04 billion ($4.58 per diluted share). Comparable sales grew 7.4%, driven by a 22.6% increase in digitally-enabled sales, and membership fee income rose 13.6% to $1.355 billion.
Press Release·2025-12-11
Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports First Quarter Fiscal Year 2026 Operating Results
Costco reported first quarter fiscal 2026 net sales of $65.98 billion, up 8.2% year-over-year, with net income of $2.001 billion or $4.50 per diluted share. The company operated 923 warehouses globally and continued to see strong membership renewal rates of approximately 90% worldwide.
Press Release·2025-09-25
Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2025 Operating Results
Costco reported fiscal year 2025 net sales of $269.9 billion, up 8%, with fourth quarter net sales of $84.4 billion. The company added 24 net new warehouses during the year and reported membership fee income growing 14% to $1.724 billion in the fourth quarter.
Press Release·2025-05-29
Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports Third Quarter Fiscal Year 2025 Operating Results
Costco reported third quarter fiscal 2025 net sales of $61.96 billion, up 8.0% year-over-year, with diluted earnings per share of $4.28. E-commerce comparable sales surged 15%, reflecting strong growth in the company's digital channel.
Company History
9 milestones
The first Costco warehouse opened in Seattle, Washington in 1983, founded by Jim Sinegal and Jeff Brotman. It introduced the membership warehouse model to American consumers with a focus on high volume, low margin, and low SKU count.

Costco Organization Structure & Team

Org Chart
316,000 employees · Click a leader to explore their team
246,830 across 12 departments
Chief Executive Officer
Ron Vachris
Gary Millerchip — Departments
· 246830 people across 12 depts

Costco Financials, Revenue & Market Share

Annual Revenue
$268B
+5% vs prior year
YoY Growth
+5%
From $195B to $268B
Revenue / Employee
$803K
Annual revenue per full-time employee
Revenue Growth
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
$195B
$227B
$238B
$254B
$268B
Market Share
US Warehouse Club & Wholesale Retail
58%
share
Costco
58%
Sam's Club (Walmart)
31%
BJ's Wholesale
11%
$5.5T
TAM
$900B
SAM
$254B
SOM
Revenue Streams
Merchandise Sales97%
Membership Fees2%
Other Revenue1%
Business Units
US & Puerto Rico72%
Costco's domestic warehouse operations across 590+ US locations representing the largest and most mature segment with highest membership density.
Canada13%
Costco's Canadian warehouse network across 107 locations, representing the second-largest country operation with strong Kirkland Signature penetration.
International15%
Costco's 15-country international segment covering Japan, UK, Korea, Australia, Spain, France, China, and other markets with ongoing expansion.

Costco Internal Tools & Processes

Internal Tools
12 departments
Warehouse Operations210000 people · 3 roles
Standards & Certifications
10 standards
Compliance frameworks, security audits, and quality certifications this company maintains.
Security
PCI DSS Level 1
Certified
Costco's payment processing systems across 890+ warehouses and Costco.com are PCI DSS Level 1 certified, ensuring cardholder data from 74 million members making in-store and online purchases is protected to the highest payment security standard.
Security
SOC 2 Type II
Certified
Costco's technology and member data management systems maintain SOC 2 Type II certification, with annual audits verifying controls governing member account data, e-commerce systems, and internal IT infrastructure.
Privacy
CCPA
Compliant
Costco complies with the California Consumer Privacy Act for its US member base, providing members with rights to access, delete, and opt out of sale of their personal shopping and membership data collected through warehouse and online interactions.
Privacy
GDPR
Compliant
Costco complies with GDPR for its European operations in the UK, Spain, France, Iceland, and Sweden, maintaining data subject rights management and data processing agreements for the personal data of European member cardholders.
Accessibility
ADA Title III
Compliant
Costco's physical warehouses and Costco.com meet ADA Title III accessibility requirements, including accessible parking, cart access, mobility device accommodation, and website accessibility for members with disabilities.
Regulatory
Food Safety Modernization Act
Compliant
Costco complies with the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act across its food supply chain, implementing preventive controls, supplier verification, and food traceability programs for Kirkland Signature and fresh food items sold in its warehouses.
Safety
OSHA
Compliant
Costco's warehouse operations comply with OSHA workplace safety standards for forklift operation, material handling, and hazardous materials in its distribution and warehouse environments, contributing to one of retail's lowest injury rate records.
Environmental
ISO 14001
Compliant
Costco's sustainability program aligns with ISO 14001 environmental management standards, covering packaging reduction, refrigerant transition for Kirkland Signature cold products, and renewable energy installations on warehouse rooftops.
Security
ISO 27001
Certified
Costco Wholesale holds ISO 27001 certification for its information security management systems, providing assurance to members and vendors that Costco protects sensitive membership, payment, and supplier data in accordance with international security standards.
Accessibility
WCAG 2.1 AA
Compliant
Costco designs its e-commerce website and member-facing digital properties to meet WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards, ensuring members with disabilities can independently shop online, manage memberships, and access Costco services.

Costco Interview Preparation

Interview Prep
Role-specific interview questions and keywords. Select a department, then click any role to prepare.
Warehouse Operations· 3 roles

Costco Products & Competitors

Product Suite
5 products · select one to explore
Retail
Retail
Costco Warehouse
More of what you love, for less

Costco Warehouse is the flagship membership retail format operating 890+ large-format stores globally. Members purchase a curated, high-turnover selection of bulk groceries, appliances, electronics, furniture, and consumables at low prices enabled by Costco's high-volume, low-SKU buying model.

Use Cases
Buying a 48-count case of Kirkland Signature water bottles and a palletized bulk grocery order during a weekly warehouse runComparing Costco's wholesale electronics pricing on a Samsung TV against retail prices before a major purchaseUsing the Costco tire center for a full set of tire replacements at member discount pricing
No image
Key Customers
MBR
Individual Members
BIZ
Small Business Owners
RST
Restaurant Operators
Competitive Intelligence
VSSam's Club (Walmart)
THEM

Sam's Club is Walmart's membership warehouse club operating 600+ locations in the US, offering bulk merchandise, groceries, and services to individual and business members at wholesale pricing.

EDGE

Higher average income member base and Kirkland Signature private label drive stronger basket size

VSBJ's Wholesale Club
THEM

BJ's Wholesale Club is a US-only membership warehouse retailer operating primarily in the Eastern US, offering bulk grocery, electronics, and general merchandise to individual and business members.

EDGE

Costco's global scale and 890+ warehouse footprint enables better supplier pricing vs. BJ's regional focus

VSWalmart Supercenter
THEM

Walmart Supercenter is Walmart's large-format grocery and general merchandise store format, offering everyday low prices across 180,000+ SKUs without requiring a membership fee.

EDGE

Membership model creates recurring revenue and higher customer loyalty vs. Walmart's no-membership EDLP approach

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