Costco (NASDAQ: COST) declares $1.47 dividend, reinforcing cash returns

What happened

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ: COST) said its board declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.47 per share on common stock. The dividend is payable November 13, 2026, to shareholders of record at the close of business on October 30, 2026. The company said it currently operates 939 warehouses. Those include 647 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 115 in Canada, 43 in Mexico, 37 in Japan and 29 in the United Kingdom.

Costco also operates e-commerce sites in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Mexico, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Australia and China.

Key numbers

Metric	Latest	Change	Source
Quarterly cash dividend	$1.47 per share		SEC 8-K
Warehouses currently operated	939 warehouses		SEC 8-K
Warehouses in the United States and Puerto Rico	647 warehouses		SEC 8-K
Warehouses in Canada	115 warehouses		SEC 8-K

Read more: Costco Wholesale (COST) stock analysis and investment case

Why it matters

OptimistFi's case is that Costco turns a loyal membership base and scale buying power into steady, high-cash, low-margin retail earnings. This dividend declaration supports that view because it shows another board-approved cash return. It also gives investors a fresh payout baseline to watch.

The warehouse count adds useful context. Costco said it currently operates 939 warehouses, including 647 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 115 in Canada, 43 in Mexico, 37 in Japan and 29 in the United Kingdom. By location count, 647 of 939 warehouses are in the United States and Puerto Rico, or 68.9% of the total. That shows where the footprint is concentrated. It also shows the scale behind the payout.

The filing also names e-commerce sites in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Mexico, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Australia and China. That matters because it shows the business spans physical warehouses and online sites. But the dividend does not prove earnings durability or future growth. The filing is still a snapshot of cash return and store count, not a full operating update.

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What's next

The dividend is payable November 13, 2026, to shareholders of record on October 30, 2026. Those two dates are the near-term test for the announcement. Payment on schedule would confirm the announced cash return and support the capital-allocation reading.

A timely payment would strengthen the case that Costco is continuing the same payout pattern reflected in this filing. Any break from the schedule would weaken that reading. A normal payment would leave the filing as a clean baseline for later results.

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