Costco Wholesale Corp (COST)
Consumer Staples · Retail-Variety Stores
Costco Wholesale Corp (COST) is listed on Nasdaq, where its shares have traded since March 2, 1982. SentiSense covers Costco Wholesale Corp in the Consumer Staples sector, and its Standard Industrial Classification is Retail-Variety Stores. Ron Vachris is its chief executive officer. The company reports 355,000 employees, and its corporate website is www.costco.com.
About Costco Wholesale Corp
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 940 warehouses, serving more than 84 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 (92% 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.
Institutional ownership
In 13F filings for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, 4,168 institutions reported holding COST, with 319.0 million shares worth $298.3 billion in aggregate. The largest reported holders were Vanguard, BlackRock and State Street. Of the 5 largest reported holders, 2 added shares and 3 reduced their positions during the quarter.
More on COST
- COST sentiment: whether news and social coverage of Costco Wholesale Corp leans bullish or bearish, and the stories driving it.
- COST ownership: all 4,168 reporting institutions, plus insider and congressional trades.
- COST financials: revenue, net income, operating margin and free cash flow by quarter and year.
SentiSense also tracks daily options readings for Costco Wholesale Corp: IV rank, put/call percentile, 25-delta skew and open-interest walls.
Frequently asked questions
What does Costco Wholesale Corp do?
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.
What sector is COST in?
SentiSense classifies Costco Wholesale Corp in the Consumer Staples sector, and its Standard Industrial Classification is Retail-Variety Stores.
Where does COST stock trade?
Costco Wholesale Corp (COST) is listed on Nasdaq, where its shares have traded since March 2, 1982.
Who is the CEO of Costco Wholesale Corp?
Ron Vachris is the chief executive officer of Costco Wholesale Corp.