Costco Wholesale Free Cash Flow (FCF) History (COST)
Costco Wholesale reported $7.84B in free cash flow for fiscal 2025, an increase of 18.22% from the previous fiscal year, with a free cash flow margin of 2.85%.
View full Costco Wholesale company overviewCostco Wholesale free cash flow by year
| Fiscal year | Period ended | Free cash flow | Change | Growth | FCF margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2025-08-31 | $7.84B | $1.21B | +18.22% | +2.85% |
| 2024 | 2024-09-01 | $6.63B | −$116.0M | −1.72% | +2.61% |
| 2023 | 2023-09-03 | $6.75B | $3.24B | +92.66% | +2.78% |
| 2022 | 2022-08-28 | $3.50B | −$1.87B | −34.80% | +1.54% |
| 2021 | 2021-08-29 | $5.37B | −$681.0M | −11.25% | +2.74% |
| 2020 | 2020-08-30 | $6.05B | $3.25B | +115.72% | +3.63% |
| 2018 | 2018-09-02 | $2.81B | −$1.42B | −33.59% | +1.98% |
| 2017 | 2017-09-03 | $4.22B | $3.58B | +556.92% | +3.27% |
| 2016 | 2016-08-28 | $643.0M | −$1.25B | −66.01% | +0.54% |
| 2015 | 2015-08-30 | $1.89B | −$99.0M | −4.97% | +1.63% |
| 2014 | 2014-08-31 | $1.99B | $637.0M | +47.05% | +1.77% |
| 2013 | 2013-09-01 | $1.35B | −$223.0M | −14.14% | +1.29% |
| 2012 | 2012-09-02 | $1.58B | −$331.0M | −17.35% | +1.59% |
| 2011 | 2011-08-28 | $1.91B | $183.0M | +10.61% | +2.15% |
| 2010 | 2010-08-29 | $1.73B | $883.0M | +104.87% | +2.21% |
| 2009 | 2009-08-30 | $842.0M | $235.0M | +38.71% | +1.18% |
| 2008 | 2008-08-31 | $607.0M | — | — | +0.84% |
Costco Wholesale quarterly free cash flow
| Fiscal quarter | Period ended | Free cash flow | Change | YoY growth | FCF margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | 2026-05-10 | $2.04B | −$293.0M | −12.58% | +2.89% |
| Q2 2026 | 2026-02-15 | $1.71B | $96.0M | +5.96% | +2.45% |
| Q1 2026 | 2025-11-23 | $3.16B | $1.17B | +58.42% | +4.70% |
| Q4 2025 | 2025-08-31 | $1.90B | $520.0M | +37.65% | +2.21% |
| Q3 2025 | 2025-05-11 | $2.33B | $392.0M | +20.24% | +3.68% |
| Q2 2025 | 2025-02-16 | $1.61B | $1.91B | — | +2.53% |
| Q1 2025 | 2024-11-24 | $2.00B | −$1.61B | −44.72% | +3.21% |
| Q4 2024 | 2024-09-01 | $1.38B | −$788.0M | −36.33% | +1.73% |
| Q3 2024 | 2024-05-12 | $1.94B | $1.22B | +168.65% | +3.31% |
| Q2 2024 | 2024-02-18 | −$300.0M | −$2.60B | — | −0.51% |
| Q1 2024 | 2023-11-26 | $3.61B | $2.06B | +132.52% | +6.25% |
| Q4 2023 | 2023-09-03 | $2.17B | $922.0M | +73.94% | +2.75% |
| Q3 2023 | 2023-05-07 | $721.0M | $348.0M | +93.30% | +1.34% |
| Q2 2023 | 2023-02-12 | $2.30B | $2.62B | — | +4.17% |
| Q1 2023 | 2022-11-20 | $1.55B | −$650.0M | −29.51% | +2.85% |
| Q4 2022 | 2022-08-28 | $1.25B | −$599.0M | −32.45% | +1.73% |
| Q3 2022 | 2022-05-08 | $373.0M | −$1.93B | −83.82% | +0.71% |
| Q2 2022 | 2022-02-13 | −$322.0M | $213.0M | — | −0.62% |
| Q1 2022 | 2021-11-21 | $2.20B | $449.0M | +25.60% | +4.37% |
| Q4 2021 | 2021-08-29 | $1.85B | −$1.54B | −45.55% | +2.95% |
| Q3 2021 | 2021-05-09 | $2.31B | $1.10B | +92.08% | +5.09% |
| Q2 2021 | 2021-02-14 | −$535.0M | −$609.0M | — | −1.20% |
| Q1 2021 | 2020-11-22 | $1.75B | $367.0M | +26.46% | +4.06% |
| Q4 2020 | 2020-08-30 | $3.39B | $1.96B | +136.57% | +6.35% |
| Q3 2020 | 2020-05-10 | $1.20B | $2.01B | — | +3.22% |
| Q2 2020 | 2020-02-16 | $74.0M | −$1.37B | −94.89% | +0.19% |
| Q1 2020 | 2019-11-24 | $1.39B | $889.0M | +178.51% | +3.74% |
| Q3 2019 | 2019-05-12 | $1.43B | −$87.0M | −5.72% | +4.12% |
| Q2 2019 | 2019-02-17 | −$806.0M | −$407.0M | — | −2.28% |
| Q1 2019 | 2018-11-25 | $1.45B | $261.0M | +22.01% | +4.13% |
| Q4 2018 | 2018-09-02 | $498.0M | −$557.0M | −52.80% | +1.12% |
| Q3 2018 | 2018-05-13 | $1.52B | $454.0M | +42.59% | +4.70% |
| Q2 2018 | 2018-02-18 | −$399.0M | −$376.0M | — | −1.21% |
| Q1 2018 | 2017-11-26 | $1.19B | −$940.0M | −44.21% | +3.73% |
| Q4 2017 | 2017-09-03 | $1.05B | $2.07B | — | +2.49% |
| Q3 2017 | 2017-05-07 | $1.07B | −$332.0M | −23.75% | +3.69% |
| Q2 2017 | 2017-02-12 | −$23.0M | −$190.0M | — | −0.08% |
| Q1 2017 | 2016-11-20 | $2.13B | $2.03B | +2114.58% | +7.57% |
| Q4 2016 | 2016-08-28 | −$1.02B | −$1.24B | — | −2.78% |
| Q3 2016 | 2016-05-08 | $1.40B | $590.0M | +73.02% | +5.22% |
| Q2 2016 | 2016-02-14 | $167.0M | −$121.0M | −42.01% | +0.59% |
| Q1 2016 | 2015-11-22 | $96.0M | −$477.0M | −83.25% | +0.35% |
| Q4 2015 | 2015-08-30 | $223.0M | −$52.0M | −18.91% | +0.62% |
| Q3 2015 | 2015-05-10 | $808.0M | −$277.0M | −25.53% | +3.10% |
| Q2 2015 | 2015-02-15 | $288.0M | $22.0M | +8.27% | +1.05% |
| Q1 2015 | 2014-11-23 | $573.0M | $208.0M | +56.99% | +2.13% |
| Q4 2014 | 2014-08-31 | $275.0M | $416.0M | — | +0.77% |
| Q3 2014 | 2014-05-11 | $1.08B | $172.0M | +18.84% | +4.21% |
| Q2 2014 | 2014-02-16 | $266.0M | $298.0M | — | +1.01% |
| Q1 2014 | 2013-11-24 | $365.0M | −$249.0M | −40.55% | +1.46% |
| Q4 2013 | 2013-09-01 | −$141.0M | −$291.0M | — | −0.43% |
| Q3 2013 | 2013-05-12 | $913.0M | $98.0M | +12.02% | +3.79% |
| Q2 2013 | 2013-02-17 | −$32.0M | −$323.0M | — | −0.13% |
| Q1 2013 | 2012-11-25 | $614.0M | $293.0M | +91.28% | +2.59% |
| Q4 2012 | 2012-09-02 | $150.0M | −$319.0M | −68.02% | +0.47% |
| Q3 2012 | 2012-05-06 | $815.0M | $282.0M | +52.91% | +3.65% |
| Q2 2012 | 2012-02-12 | $291.0M | −$201.0M | −40.85% | +1.27% |
| Q1 2012 | 2011-11-20 | $321.0M | −$93.0M | −22.46% | +1.48% |
| Q4 2011 | 2011-08-28 | $469.0M | $269.0M | +134.50% | +1.66% |
| Q3 2011 | 2011-05-08 | $533.0M | −$138.0M | −20.57% | +2.58% |
| Q2 2011 | 2011-02-13 | $492.0M | $76.0M | +18.27% | +2.36% |
| Q1 2011 | 2010-11-21 | $414.0M | −$24.0M | −5.48% | +2.15% |
| Q4 2010 | 2010-08-29 | $200.0M | −$369.0M | −64.85% | +0.83% |
| Q3 2010 | 2010-05-09 | $671.0M | $1.06B | — | +3.77% |
| Q2 2010 | 2010-02-14 | $416.0M | — | — | +2.22% |
| Q1 2010 | 2009-11-22 | $438.0M | — | — | +2.53% |
| Q2 2009 | 2009-02-15 | $569.0M | — | — | +3.38% |
| Q1 2009 | 2008-11-23 | −$390.0M | — | — | −2.38% |
Costco Wholesale free cash flow growth trends
Over the last five reported fiscal years, free cash flow grew from $6.05B to $7.84B, a compound annual growth rate of 5.31%. Costco Wholesale's latest reported quarter, Q3 2026, generated $2.04B in free cash flow, a decrease of 12.58% year over year.
What free cash flow means
Free cash flow is the cash a company generates from operations after capital expenditures. Positive FCF can fund dividends, buybacks, debt repayment, or reinvestment; negative FCF means capital spending exceeded operating cash flow for that period.
How free cash flow is calculated
TickerStat calculates free cash flow as SEC-reported operating cash flow minus capital expenditures. FCF margin equals free cash flow divided by revenue. Fiscal periods can differ from calendar years, so the tables include exact period-end dates.
Review Costco Wholesale filings at SEC.gov ↗