Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Market Information and Dividend Policy

Our common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “COST.” On September 27, 2022, we had 10,279 stockholders of record.

Payment of dividends is subject to declaration by the Board of Directors. Factors considered in determining dividends include our profitability and expected capital needs. Subject to these qualifications, we presently expect to continue to pay dividends on a quarterly basis.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

The following table sets forth information on our common stock repurchase activity for the fourth quarter of 2022 (dollars in millions, except per share data):

(1)The repurchase program is conducted under a $4,000 authorization approved by our Board of Directors in April 2019, which expires in April 2023.

Performance Graph

The following graph compares the cumulative total shareholder return assuming reinvestment of dividends on an investment of $100 in Costco common stock, S&P 500 Index, and the S&P 500 Retail Index over the five years from September 3, 2017, through August 28, 2022.

The following graph provides information concerning average sales per warehouse over a 10-year period.