Costco Wholesale (COST) Dividend Payout Ratio: 0.30 (As of May. 2026) — Near Median


COST Costco Wholesale Corp COST
97 GF Score
Price $961.09
GF Value $1,014.93
Valuation Fairly Valued
! 1 Warning Sign
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What is Costco Wholesale Dividend Payout Ratio?

Costco Wholesale COST +0.34% 97 Dividend Payout Ratio is 0.30 as of May. 2026, which is 7% above its 10-year median of 0.28. GuruFocus rates COST with a GF Score™ of 97/100 and a GF Value™ of $1,014.93 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 1 warning sign investors should review. Among 181 Retail - Defensive companies, Costco Wholesale ranks better than 70.17% on this metric.

The Dividend Payout Ratio is the measure of dividends paid out to shareholders relative to the company's net income. It is calculated as the Dividends per Share divided by the Earnings per Share (Diluted) during the same time period. Costco Wholesale's Dividend Payout Ratio for the months ended in May. 2026 was 0.30.

The historical rank and industry rank for Costco Wholesale's Dividend Payout Ratio or its related term are showing as below:

COST' s Dividend Payout Ratio Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0.26   Med: 0.28   Max: 0.32
Current: 0.27

During the past 13 years, the highest Dividend Payout Ratio of Costco Wholesale was 0.32. The lowest was 0.26. And the median was 0.28.

COST's Dividend Payout Ratio is ranked better than
70.17% of 181 companies
in the Retail - Defensive industry
Industry Median: 0.37 vs COST: 0.27

As of today (2026-06-24), the Dividend Yield % of Costco Wholesale is 0.56%.

During the past 13 years, the highest Trailing Annual Dividend Yield of Costco Wholesale was 1.23%. The lowest was 0.42%. And the median was 0.73%.

Costco Wholesale's Dividends per Share for the months ended in May. 2026 was $1.47.

During the past 12 months, Costco Wholesale's average Dividends Per Share Growth Rate was 12.30% per year. During the past 3 years, the average Dividends Per Share Growth Rate was 13.30% per year. During the past 5 years, the average Dividends Per Share Growth Rate was 13.00% per year. During the past 10 years, the average Dividends Per Share Growth Rate was 12.40% per year.

During the past 13 years, the highest 3-Year average Dividends Per Share Growth Rate of Costco Wholesale was 40.10% per year. The lowest was 11.50% per year. And the median was 12.80% per year.

The growth rate is calculated with least square regression.

For more information regarding to dividend, please check our Dividend Page.

* Please note that "special dividend" is not included in the calculation of dividend per share and related fields.

Costco Wholesale (NAS:COST) Dividend Payout Ratio Explanation

In dividends investing, Dividend Payout Ratio and Dividend Growth Rate are the two most important variables for consideration. A lower payout ratio may indicate that the company has more room to increase its dividends.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Payout Ratio Related Terms

Costco Wholesale Dividend Payout Ratio Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Costco Wholesale's Dividend Payout Ratio 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 Dividend Payout Ratio Chart

Costco Wholesale Annual Data
Trend Aug16 Aug17 Aug18 Aug19 Aug20 Aug21 Aug22 Aug23 Aug24 Aug25
Dividend Payout Ratio
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 0.27 0.26 0.27 0.26 0.27

Costco Wholesale Quarterly Data
Aug21 Nov21 Feb22 May22 Aug22 Nov22 Feb23 May23 Aug23 Nov23 Feb24 May24 Aug24 Nov24 Feb25 May25 Aug25 Nov25 Feb26 May26
Dividend Payout Ratio Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 0.30 0.22 0.29 0.28 0.30

COST vs TGT, DG, DLTR: Dividend Payout Ratio Comparison

For the Discount Stores subindustry, Costco Wholesale's Dividend Payout Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and Dividend Payout Ratio data, can be viewed below:

* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.

Costco Wholesale Dividend Payout Ratio vs Retail - Defensive Industry

For the Retail - Defensive industry and Consumer Defensive sector, Costco Wholesale's Dividend Payout Ratio distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Costco Wholesale's Dividend Payout Ratio falls into.


COST
97GF Score
Costco Wholesale Corp COST
Dividend Payout Ratio is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Costco Wholesale Dividend Payout Ratio Calculation

The Dividend Payout Ratio is the measure of dividends paid out to shareholders relative to the company's net income. It is calculated as the Dividends per Share divided by the Earnings per Share (Diluted) during the same time period.

Costco Wholesale's Dividend Payout Ratio for the fiscal year that ended in Aug. 2025 is calculated as

Dividend Payout Ratio=Dividends per Share (A: Aug. 2025 )/ EPS without NRI (A: Aug. 2025 )
=4.92/ 18.069
=0.27

Costco Wholesale's Dividend Payout Ratio for the quarter that ended in May. 2026 is calculated as

Dividend Payout Ratio=Dividends per Share (Q: May. 2026 )/ EPS without NRI (Q: May. 2026 )
=1.47/ 4.901
=0.30

* 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.

Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Dividend Payout Ratio →
What does a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0.30 mean?
Costco Wholesale (COST) has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0.30 as of May. 2026. Dividend payout ratio is the percent of company earnings paid out as dividends. View historical data on Costco Wholesale and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 0.28. Over the past decade, Costco Wholesale's Dividend Payout Ratio has ranged from 0.26 to 0.32. According to the industry distribution chart, Costco Wholesale ranks #54 out of 181 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, placing it in the top 29.8%.
Is Costco Wholesale's Dividend Payout Ratio too high?
Costco Wholesale's current Dividend Payout Ratio of 0.30 is near median its 10-year median of 0.28. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.26 to a high of 0.32. The Retail - Defensive industry median Dividend Payout Ratio is 0.37. Costco Wholesale's value of 0.30 is 18.9% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Costco Wholesale ranks #54 out of 181 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Costco Wholesale has a GF Score™ of 97/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Costco Wholesale's Dividend Payout Ratio compare to TGT and DG?
According to the Retail - Defensive industry distribution chart, Costco Wholesale ranks #54 out of 181 companies for Dividend Payout Ratio. This puts Costco Wholesale in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Dividend Payout Ratio is 0.37. Costco Wholesale's value of 0.30 is 18.9% below this benchmark. Historically, Costco Wholesale's own Dividend Payout Ratio has ranged from 0.26 to 0.32 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 0.28 vs. the industry median of 0.37, Costco Wholesale has consistently been below the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Dividend Payout Ratio for a Retail - Defensive company?
The median Dividend Payout Ratio among Retail - Defensive companies is 0.37, based on 181 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Dividend Payout Ratio significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Dividend Payout Ratio should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Costco Wholesale's current Dividend Payout Ratio of 0.30 is 18.9% below the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Dividend Payout Ratio mean?
A high Dividend Payout Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Dividend payout ratio is the percent of company earnings paid out as dividends. View historical data on Costco Wholesale and its competitors. For the Retail - Defensive industry, the median Dividend Payout Ratio is 0.37 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Costco Wholesale's current Dividend Payout Ratio is 0.30, which is near median its own 10-year median of 0.28. 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 $1,014.93, compared to a current price of $961.09 — trading 5.3% below its estimated fair value. The current Dividend Payout Ratio is 0.30, which is near median its 10-year median of 0.28 and 18.9% below the Retail - Defensive industry median of 0.37. Costco Wholesale's overall GF Score™ is 97/100 with 1 warning sign to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Dividend Payout Ratio calculated?
Dividend Payout Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Costco Wholesale (COST), the current Dividend Payout Ratio is 0.30 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 $961.09 is trading 5.3% below its estimated GF Value™ of $1,014.93. GuruFocus considers Costco Wholesale to be Fairly Valued.

Key valuation signals for COST:

  • Dividend Payout Ratio: 0.30 (near median its 10-year median of 0.28)
  • GF Value™: $1,014.93 vs. price of $961.09 (5.3% below fair value)
  • GF Score™: 97/100 with 1 warning sign
  • Industry Position: 18.9% below the Retail - Defensive median (#54 of 181)

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.

Costco Wholesale Business Description

Address 999 Lake Drive, Issaquah, WA, USA, 98027
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.
97GF Score

Get the complete analysis for COST

Dividend Payout Ratio is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

$961.09
Price
$1,014.93
GF Value