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TTM

3.8%

YoY change

+0.12pp

Trough year (1993)

0.4%

Peak year (1986)

3.8%

Operating Margin history chart for Costco (COST) from 1985 to 2025

Latest: 3.8%

Operating Margin change chart for Costco (COST) from 1985 to 2025

Latest: +0.12pp

Operating Margin history table for Costco (COST) from 1985 to 2025

  • 20253.8%+0.12pp
  • 20243.6%+0.30pp
  • 20233.3%-0.08pp
  • 20223.4%+0.01pp
  • 20213.4%+0.16pp
  • 20203.3%+0.16pp
  • 20193.1%-0.06pp
  • 20183.2%-0.02pp
  • 20173.2%+0.09pp
  • 20163.1%-0.03pp
  • 20153.1%+0.26pp
  • 20142.9%-0.04pp
  • 20132.9%+0.12pp
  • 20122.8%+0.04pp
  • 20112.7%+0.08pp
  • 20102.7%+0.18pp
  • 20092.5%-0.23pp
  • 20082.7%+0.22pp
  • 20072.5%-0.20pp
  • 20062.7%-0.08pp
  • 20052.8%-0.10pp
  • 20042.9%+0.16pp
  • 20032.7%-0.20pp
  • 20022.9%+0.07pp
  • 20012.9%-0.37pp
  • 20003.2%+0.09pp
  • 19993.1%-0.11pp
  • 19983.2%+0.59pp
  • 19972.7%+0.15pp
  • 19962.5%+1.81pp
  • 19950.7%-1.68pp
  • 19942.4%+2.01pp
  • 19930.4%-0.07pp
  • 19920.4%-0.41pp
  • 19910.8%-0.55pp
  • 19901.4%-0.06pp
  • 19891.5%+0.01pp
  • 19881.4%-2.40pp
  • 19873.8%-0.00pp
  • 19863.8%+1.46pp
  • 19852.4%

Operating Margin values are taken from Costco's reported income statements (quarterly 10-Q and annual 10-K filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission). Each row shows the period end date and the filing date. YoY compares each figure to the same period one year earlier. Amounts are in USD as filed.

About Operating Margin at Costco (COST)

According to Costco's latest reported financial statements, the company's latest reported operating margin is 3.8%. Operating margin is operating income divided by revenue — the share of each sales dollar left after cost of goods sold and operating expenses (SG&A, R&D), but before interest and taxes. It isolates how profitable the core business is before financing and tax decisions, so it is comparable across companies with different capital structures.

Headline figure above is from the reporting period ending (reported ). Chart and table below cover the full reported history back to .

The 2025 reading of Costco (COST) operating margin is 3.77% – expanded 0.1 percentage points year-over-year.

The highest annual operating margin of 3.84% was reported in 1986. The lowest in the available history was 0.37% in 1993.

Costco Operating Margin by Year

Costco Operating Margin 2025: 3.8%

Costco operating margin in 2025 was 3.77%, expanded 0.1 percentage points from 2024.

Costco Operating Margin 2024: 3.6%

2024's operating margin for Costco came in at 3.65%, expanded 0.3 percentage points from 2023.

Costco Operating Margin 2023: 3.3%

Costco posted operating margin of 3.35% in 2023, contracted 0.1 percentage points from 2022.

Costco Operating Margin 2022: 3.4%

In 2022, Costco reported operating margin of 3.43%, expanded 0.0 percentage points from 2021.

Costco Operating Margin 2021: 3.4%

Costco operating margin in 2021 was 3.42%.

See more financial history for Costco (COST).

Frequently asked questions