Trailing Dividend / Share
$4.91
Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) Dividend History
Income profile from 2004 to 2026 with payout safety and yield-on-cost trend
Dividend Yield
0.5%
Payout Ratio
27.0%
Sustainable
Dividend Streak
1 years
3-Second Income Check
Safety
27.0% payout ratio with sustainable safety profile.
Consistency
1 straight years of dividend increases.
Income Trend
Yield on cost is 1.3% and trend is falling.
Dividend Scorecard
Yield & Income
Dividend Yield0.5%
Trailing DPS$4.91
FrequencyAnnual
Payments / 12M4
Payout Safety
Earnings Payout27.0%
Earnings SafetySustainable
FCF Payout24.2%
FCF SafetyWell Covered
Piotroski F-Score7/9
Growth
Growth Streak1 years
3Y CAGR13.2%
5Y CAGR-16.9%
Yield on Cost (5Y)1.3%
YOC Trendfalling
Total Returns
Buyback Yield0.2%
Total Shareholder Yield0.7%
1Y Total Return-3.1%
5Y Total Return215.4%
Div Contribution (5Y)10.8%
Estimated $10K growth (return + dividends):
5Y ago$31,54210Y ago$71,64920Y ago$214,211
Uses precomputed total return metrics from screening data (not lot-by-lot dividend reinvestment transactions). Different time windows can produce different outcomes depending on market regime and entry point.
Income Growth Story
Dividend per share and yield on cost over time (23 years of payments)
Dividend Safety Story
EPS is the container — dividend is what's drawn out
Dividend Analysis
Payout Safety
Costco Wholesale Corporation distributes 27.0% of earnings as dividends (Sustainable). When measured against free cash flow—a stricter test—the payout ratio stands at 24.2%, rated "Well Covered".
Piotroski F-Score: 7/9 — strong financial health.
Growth Track Record
COST has raised its dividend for 1 consecutive year, with a 3-year CAGR of 13.2% and 5-year CAGR of -16.9%.
Total Shareholder Returns
Beyond cash dividends, COST returns capital through share repurchases. The combined picture: 0.5% dividend yield, 0.2% buyback yield, 0.7% total shareholder yield.
Income Trend & Total Return
Yield on cost (5-year basis) has reached 1.3% and is currently falling. The 5-year total return is 215.4%, with dividends contributing 10.8% of that performance.
DRIP Growth
A $10,000 investment made 10 years ago with dividends reinvested would have grown to approximately $71,649 today.
Recent Dividend Payments
Last 20 payments · Annual
TTM Total$34.89
Avg/Payment$1.7445
| Ex-Date | Amount | Change | Yield % | Payment Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 30, 2026Latest | $1.3000 | — | 55.30% | Feb 13, 2026 |
| Oct 31, 2025 | $1.3000 | — | 55.52% | Nov 14, 2025 |
| Aug 1, 2025 | $1.3000 | — | 51.65% | Aug 15, 2025 |
| May 2, 2025 | $1.3000 | ↑ +12.1% | 47.41% | May 16, 2025 |
| Feb 7, 2025 | $1.1600 | — | 44.45% | Feb 21, 2025 |
| Nov 1, 2024 | $1.1600 | — | 2.22% | Nov 15, 2024 |
| Jul 26, 2024 | $1.1600 | — | 2.37% | Aug 9, 2024 |
| Apr 25, 2024 | $1.1600 | ↑ +13.7% | 2.66% | May 10, 2024 |
Dividend Peer Comparison
Peer group: Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters
#4 yield in peer group
Div Yield
0.5%
#4 of 5
Safety
Sustainable
27.0% payout
Streak
1Y
-16.9% 5Y CAGR
Total Shareholder
0.7%
#5 of 5
Annual Dividend History
38 years of dividend data
GrowthDecline
| Year | DPS | YoY | Pmts | EPS | Payout | Coverage | YOC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | $1.30 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 0.3% |
| 2025 | $5.06 | 12.4% | 4 | $18.21 | 27.8% | 3.60x | 1.3% |
| 2024 | $4.50 | -76.3% | 4 | $16.56 | 27.2% | 3.68x | 1.2% |
| 2023 | $18.96 | 443.3% | 5 | $14.16 | 133.9% | 0.75x | 5.0% |
| 2022 | $3.49 | 13.7% | 4 | $13.14 | 26.6% | 3.77x | 0.9% |
| 2021 | $3.07 | -75.9% | 4 | $11.27 | 27.2% | 3.67x | 0.8% |
| 2020 | $12.75 | 406.0% | 5 | $9.02 | 141.4% | 0.71x | 3.4% |
| 2019 | $2.52 | 14.0% | 4 | $8.26 | 30.5% | 3.28x | 0.7% |
| 2018 | $2.21 | -75.3% | 4 | $7.09 | 31.2% | 3.21x | 0.6% |
| 2017 | $8.95 | 411.4% | 5 | $6.08 | 147.2% | 0.68x | 2.4% |
See COST's True Return
Price is only half the story. See total return with reinvested dividends.
Launch CalculatorIs COST Undervalued?
See our Bear / Base / Bull DCF models and intrinsic value estimates.
View ValuationCompare COST vs WMT
See how COST stacks up against sector leader Walmart Inc..
Start ComparisonFrequently Asked Questions
How much dividend does COST pay per share?
Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) pays a trailing 12-month dividend of $4.91 per share, with a current dividend yield of +0.5%. Payments are made Annual.
When is COST's next ex-dividend date?
COST's most recent ex-dividend date is N/A. You must own shares before the ex-dividend date to receive the next payment. COST typically pays dividends Annual.
Is COST's dividend safe?
COST's dividend safety is rated "Sustainable" based on an earnings payout ratio of +27.0% and FCF payout ratio of +24.2%. The 1-year growth streak provides moderate confidence.
How many years has COST increased its dividend?
COST has 1 consecutive years of dividend growth. The 5-year dividend CAGR is -16.9%.
How often does COST pay dividends?
Costco Wholesale Corporation pays dividends Annual. The trailing 12-month total is $4.91 per share. Dividend data on this page covers 22+ years from 2004 to 2026.
How much would $10,000 invested in COST grow with dividend reinvestment?
With dividends reinvested (DRIP), $10,000 invested in COST five years ago would be worth approximately $31,542 today. This includes both price appreciation and compounded dividend reinvestment. Use the DRIP calculator above for other time periods.
What is COST's yield on cost for long-term holders?
COST's yield on cost — the current dividend divided by the original purchase price — is +1.3% for a 5-year holding period. This means long-term holders earn a higher effective yield than today's +0.5% market yield, thanks to the lower original cost basis.