Costco Wholesale (COST) Operating Margin (2009 - 2026)
Costco Wholesale (COST) posted Operating Margin of 3.74% for Q1 2026, up 2.32% on a QoQ basis from 3.66% in Q4 2025, and up 11.0% year-over-year from 3.37% in Q1 2025.
Costco Wholesale (COST) Operating Margin (2009 - 2026) Analysis & Trends
Costco Wholesale's Operating Margin history runs 18 years deep, the most recent figure standing at 3.74% for Q1 2026.
- Quarterly Operating Margin rose 11.0% year-over-year to 3.74% in Q1 2026, while the trailing twelve-month figure through Feb 2026 was 3.82% (up 13.0% YoY) and the FY2025 annual result came in at 3.77%, up 12.0% from the prior year.
- Operating Margin was 3.74% for Q1 2026 at Costco Wholesale, up from 3.66% in the prior quarter.
- Across five years, Operating Margin topped out at 4.0% in Q2 2025 and bottomed at 3.13% in Q2 2023.
- A 5-year average of 3.57% and a median of 3.53% in 2024 frame the typical range for Operating Margin.
- Annual changes were most pronounced in 2023 — Operating Margin slipped 28 bps — and 2024, when it jumped 62 bps.
- Costco Wholesale's Operating Margin stood at 3.22% in 2022, then advanced by 7 bps to 3.43% in 2023, then increased by 3 bps to 3.53% in 2024, then increased by 4 bps to 3.66% in 2025, then advanced by 2 bps to 3.74% in 2026.
- Business Quant data shows COST's Operating Margin at 3.74% in Q1 2026, 3.66% in Q4 2025, and 3.88% in Q3 2025.
Powered by 
Peer Comparison
| # | Company | Market Cap | Enterprise Value | Gross Profit (Qtr) | Operating Margin (Qtr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Walmart | 862.66 Bn | 858.28 Bn | 42.63 Bn | 4.27% |
| 2 | Costco Wholesale | 410.89 Bn | 392.65 Bn | 8.88 Bn | 3.74% |
| 3 | Target | 61.06 Bn | 57.53 Bn | 7.38 Bn | 4.46% |
| 4 | Dollar General | 25.36 Bn | 24.22 Bn | 3.32 Bn | 5.56% |
| 5 | Dollar Tree | 22.75 Bn | 21.75 Bn | 1.83 Bn | 9.51% |
| 6 | BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings | 11.75 Bn | 11.72 Bn | 1.03 Bn | 3.67% |
| 7 | Pricesmart | 5.65 Bn | 5.52 Bn | 262.22 Mn | 4.43% |
| 8 | Bbb Foods | 4.68 Bn | 4.08 Bn | 210.92 Mn | 22.24% |
| 9 | Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings | 4.00 Bn | 3.70 Bn | 310.92 Mn | 14.00% |
Historic Data
Download Data| Date | Value |
|---|---|
| Feb 15, 2026 | 3.74% |
| Nov 23, 2025 | 3.66% |
| Aug 31, 2025 | 3.88% |
| May 11, 2025 | 4.00% |
| Feb 16, 2025 | 3.63% |
| Nov 24, 2024 | 3.53% |
| Sep 1, 2024 | 3.82% |
| May 12, 2024 | 3.75% |
| Feb 18, 2024 | 3.53% |
| Nov 26, 2023 | 3.43% |
| Sep 3, 2023 | 3.52% |
| May 7, 2023 | 3.13% |
| Feb 12, 2023 | 3.44% |
| Nov 20, 2022 | 3.22% |
| Aug 28, 2022 | 3.46% |
| May 8, 2022 | 3.41% |
| Feb 13, 2022 | 3.49% |
| Nov 21, 2021 | 3.36% |
| Aug 29, 2021 | 3.63% |
| May 9, 2021 | 3.67% |