Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST) has declared a $30-per-share special cash dividend, a payout worth roughly $13.3 billion. The distribution doubles the $15-per-share special dividend paid in January 2024 and was announced after the market closed on November 10, 2026.
Shareholders of record at the close of business on November 24, 2026 will receive the payment on December 4, alongside the retailer's existing quarterly dividend program. The company also disclosed the distribution in a Form 8-K filed with the SEC.
Costco shares traded at $1,080.24, up 1.32%, at 11:45 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, November 11, compared with Tuesday's close of $1,066.14. The special distribution represents approximately 2.8% of Costco's November 10 closing share price.
The one-time payout is much larger than Costco's regular quarterly dividend of $1.47 per share, equal to about 20.4 regular quarterly payments. Previous special distributions included $10 per share in 2020 and $15 per share paid in January 2024.
The financial commitment is significant. As of August 30, 2026, Costco held roughly $20.21 billion in cash and cash equivalents and $1.09 billion in short-term investments, so the announced payout equals about 66% of reported cash and 62% of combined cash and short-term investments. Costco generated $15.82 billion in operating cash flow and $9.23 billion in net income in fiscal 2026.
In addition, Costco's board renewed a $4 billion stock repurchase authorization extending through November 2030. The previous $4 billion buyback had been scheduled to expire in January 2027, with approximately $3.1 billion repurchased and about $900 million unused. The new authorization is a ceiling, not a commitment; actual purchases will depend on management decisions and market conditions.
Investors buying shares on or after the ex-dividend date generally do not receive the payment, and the stock price typically adjusts when shares trade without dividend entitlement. The tax treatment depends on individual circumstances.
