How much your local Costco store makes each year might surprise you

Few companies generate as much revenue as Costco. The membership retailer, known for its massive warehouse-style stores stocking just about anything, has annual sales that are among the highest in the world.

Costco (COST) is known for its competitive prices, wholesale sales, wide product selection, delicious food courts, and the fact that you have to be a member to shop there. The steady sales growth shows that people have no problem paying for access as more customers flock to the store every year.

Overview of Costco’s sales performance

As of November 2024, Costco was 18th^Th The world’s largest publicly traded company by annual revenue and the third largest retailer in the U.S. after Walmart (WMT) and Amazon (AMZN).

The numbers that have earned him this status are astounding. In the fiscal year ended September 1, 2024, Costco reported $254 billion in total sales and net sales—i.e.

The company added 29 new warehouses during the year, but that wasn’t the only reason for the sales growth. Existing warehouses also saw higher sales, with net sales per warehouse increasing approximately 3% to $261 million. Food and Others led the way, contributing $101 billion in net sales. And the US remains Costco’s largest market by far.

Membership fees are a major source of revenue for Costco, which sells items with a slim profit margin. That helps attract members who pay $65 to $130 a year for the privilege of shopping there. These fees account for just over half of Costco’s operating revenue.

As of September 2024, Costco had 72.6 million paid members, up 7% year over year. Membership fees contributed $4.8 billion to revenue in the 12 months ended September 1, 2024.

Costco Store Sales

In 2024, average sales per Costco warehouse were $260 million – a number that has been steadily increasing since 2016, when average sales were $159 million per warehouse.

Of course, not all camps brought in that much. Some may have earned more, others significantly less. Costco warehouses vary in size, with some storing more merchandise and having more members.

It’s also worth noting that not all of Costco’s $250 billion in 2024 revenue came from sales at its warehouses. The company also sells goods on its website, which accounted for about 7% of total sales in the last fiscal year.

The conclusion

If you’ve ever been to Costco, you may have noticed that the company sells a lot. It has almost 900 stores around the world and charges its customers a membership fee. This brings in a lot of money every year.

In fiscal 2024, Costco generated net sales of approximately $260 million per warehouse. Multiply that number by 890 – the total number of warehouses as of September 1, 2024 – and add e-commerce sales, and you have a company with one of the highest annual sales revenues in the world.