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 October 3, 2023, we had 10,331 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 2023 (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 January 2023, which expires in January 2027. This authorization revoked previously authorized but unused amounts, totaling $2,568.

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, S&P Retail Select Index, and the previously selected S&P 500 Retail Index over the five years from September 2, 2018, through September 3, 2023. The S&P Retail Select Index will prospectively replace in the graph the S&P 500 Retail Index to show a broader representation of industry performance and a broader index of peers.

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