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Costco Wholesale's change in working capital for the quarter that ended in May. 2026 was $499 Mil.
Costco Wholesale's change in working capital for the fiscal year that ended in Aug. 2025 was $1,764 Mil.
It is calculated by adding the items under "Change in operating assets and liabilities" (may refer to a different name for different company) section in Cash Flow Statement. Not by calculating the number changes in each periods' working capital (Total Current Assets minus Total Current Liabilities).
Costco Wholesale Change In Working Capital Related Terms
Costco Wholesale Change In Working Capital Historical Data
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The historical data trend for Costco Wholesale's Change In Working Capital can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Costco Wholesale Change In Working Capital Calculation
Change In Working Capital for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in May. 2026 adds up the quarterly data reported by the company within the most recent 12 months, which was $2,436 Mil.
Working Capital is a measure of a company's short term liquidity or its ability to cover short term liabilities. It is defined as the difference between a company's current assets and current liabilities.
Changes in Working Capital is reported in the cash flow statement since it is one of the major ways in which net income can differ from operating cash flow. It is calculated by adding the items under "Change in operating assets and liabilities" (may refer to a different name for different company) section in Cash Flow Statement.
Changes in certain assets and liabilities, net of effects of acquisitions:
Receivables, net
(566)
(614)
(796)
Inventories
(1,667)
(2,759)
(3,727)
Accounts payable
531
1,061
2,687
Accrued liabilities
103
271
(935)
Accrued income taxes
(1,224)
981
994
For 2014-01-31, add all the items under 2014 collum together, Change in Working Capital was (566) + (1,667) + 531 + 103 + (1,224) = $ (2,823) Mil.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
What does a Change In Working Capital of $2,436 Mil mean?
Costco Wholesale (COST) has a Change In Working Capital of $2,436 Mil as of May. 2026. Change in Working Capital is the difference between current assets less current liabilities between the current period and the past period. View historical data for Costco Wholesale.
Is Costco Wholesale's Change In Working Capital too high?
Costco Wholesale's current Change In Working Capital is $2,436 Mil. Overall, Costco Wholesale has a GF Score™ of 94/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Costco Wholesale's Change In Working Capital compare to TGT and DG?
Costco Wholesale's Change In Working Capital of $2,436 Mil can be compared against companies in the Retail - Defensive industry. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Change In Working Capital for a Retail - Defensive company?
A good Change In Working Capital depends on the Retail - Defensive industry context. However, Change In Working Capital should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Change In Working Capital mean?
A high Change In Working Capital can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Change in Working Capital is the difference between current assets less current liabilities between the current period and the past period. View historical data for Costco Wholesale. Costco Wholesale's current Change In Working Capital is $2,436 Mil. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Costco Wholesale stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Costco Wholesale (COST) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $1,034.57, compared to a current price of $947.74 — trading 8.4% below its estimated fair value. The current Change In Working Capital is $2,436 Mil. Costco Wholesale's overall GF Score™ is 94/100 with 1 warning sign to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Change In Working Capital calculated?
Change In Working Capital is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Costco Wholesale (COST), the current Change In Working Capital is $2,436 Mil as of May. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Costco Wholesale (COST) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Costco Wholesale stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $947.74 is trading 8.4% below its estimated GF Value™ of $1,034.57.
GuruFocus considers Costco Wholesale to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for COST:
Change In Working Capital: $2,436 Mil
GF Value™: $1,034.57 vs. price of $947.74 (8.4% below fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the COST stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Founded in 1983, Costco Wholesale now operates a global chain of membership-based warehouse clubs, delivering high-quality goods and services at consistently low prices. As of its most recent fiscal year, Costco operated approximately 910 warehouses, serving more than 80 million members across its three geographic segments: Costco US (approximately 73% of total revenue), Costco Canada (13%), and Costco International (14%).Costco's core value proposition—quality products at unbeatable prices—has yielded consistently strong member renewal rates (93% in the US and Canada and nearly 90% internationally). About 55% of Costco's fiscal 2025 revenue came from its grocery offerings, and another 25% from general merchandise.
94GF Score
Get the complete analysis for COST
Change In Working Capital is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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