Costco Wholesale CORP /new: insider trades · United States · SEC (Form 4)

About Costco Wholesale CORP /new

Costco Wholesale Corp. (ticker: COST) is a leading global specialty retailer listed on the NASDAQ market in the United States (United States). The company operates a membership-based warehouse club model built on a limited assortment of nationally branded and private-label merchandise, high sales volumes, rapid inventory turnover, and a lean cost structure. By combining bulk purchasing power, efficient logistics, and no-frills self-service warehouses, Costco aims to deliver consistently low prices to its members. The company traces its roots to the Price Club warehouse club launched in 1976 in San Diego and to the founding of Costco in 1983 in Seattle. Costco later merged with Price Club in 1993, strengthening its position in both the business and consumer membership segments. Its headquarters are in Issaquah, Washington. Over time, Costco has become one of the most important players in the warehouse club format, where membership renewal, price discipline, and customer loyalty are key competitive advantages. Costco’s business model spans several revenue and traffic drivers: warehouse sales, e-commerce, gasoline, ancillary services, and specialty categories. Its merchandising mix includes groceries, fresh food, household essentials, electronics, home goods, health and beauty, apparel, sporting goods, and a wide range of private-label products under the Kirkland Signature brand. Depending on the market, Costco also offers additional services such as optical, hearing, travel, and various member-oriented solutions. These categories help increase trip frequency and basket size while supporting the overall value proposition. Geographically, Costco has a strong footprint in the United States and Canada, while also operating in Mexico, Japan, the United Kingdom, Korea, Australia, Taiwan, China, Spain, France, Iceland, Sweden, and New Zealand. As of late February 2026, the company operated 924 warehouses, including 634 in the United States and Puerto Rico. This international presence is still focused on markets with meaningful purchasing power or large-scale warehouse-club potential. Recent operating updates point to continued network expansion and stable execution, with warehouse growth and solid membership-fee momentum through fiscal 2025 and the first half of fiscal 2026. For investors, Costco stands out as a defensive consumer-distribution franchise with strong recurring membership economics, resilient demand, and a long track record of operational consistency.