77/100BCostco Wholesale company profile
- CEO
- Ron Vachris
- Employees
- 355,000
- Headquarters
- 999 Lake Drive, Issaquah, WA 98027, US
- Sector
- Consumer Defensive
- Industry
- Discount Stores
- IPO date
- 9 Jul 1986
- Stock exchange
- NASDAQ
- ISIN
- US22160K1051
Website:costco.com
About the company
Costco Wholesale Corporation, alongside its group entities, operates membership-based retail warehouses across a broad international scope, spanning the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Spain, France, Iceland, China, and Taiwan. These outlets provide customers with an extensive array of both well-known branded and proprietary private-label products. Their vast inventory includes household staples, shelf-stable groceries, confectionery, chilled and frozen items, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and deli selections. Furthermore, the stores stock major appliances, consumer electronics, health and beauty aids, hardware, garden and patio furniture, sporting goods, vehicle tires, toys, seasonal merchandise, office supplies, automotive maintenance products, postage services, event tickets, apparel, small kitchen appliances, home furnishings, domestic textiles, kitchenware, custom-order kiosks, and fine jewelry. Fresh departments offer meat, produce, a service deli, and bakery items. Beyond retail goods, Costco provides in-store amenities such as pharmacies, optical clinics, food courts, hearing aid centers, and tire installation facilities, in addition to managing 636 gas stations. The company also extends its offerings online through business delivery, travel booking, and same-day grocery fulfillment in various countries. As of August 29, 2021, Costco maintained a global network of 815 membership warehouses, with 564 located in the United States and Puerto Rico, 105 in Canada, 39 in Mexico, 30 in Japan, 29 in the United Kingdom, 16 in South Korea, 14 in Taiwan, 12 in Australia, 3 in Spain, and one each in Iceland, France, and China. Digital storefronts facilitate e-commerce operations in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and Australia. Founded in 1976, the enterprise was originally known as Costco Companies, Inc. before officially adopting the name Costco Wholesale Corporation in August 1999. Its corporate headquarters are situated in Issaquah, Washington.
Employees
Costco Wholesale had about 355,000 employees at the end of fiscal year 2026 (30 August 2026), by its annual report. That is 4.1% more than a year before.
Employees at each fiscal year end, as the company reports them in its annual report (10-K); revenue and net income per employee are the fiscal year's over that count.
Who owns Costco Wholesale
Institutions such as funds, banks and insurers held 73.5% of Costco Wholesale's shares on 30 June 2026, 4,377 of them reporting holdings to the SEC; the rest is held by individual investors and other shareholders.
Common questions about Costco Wholesale
Source: Financial Modeling Prep