Operating
Stock-Based Comp
Costco Wholesale Stock-Based Comp increased by 34.2% to $652.00M in Q4 2025 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric grew by 6.2%, from $614.00M to $652.00M.
Analysis
StatementCash Flow Statement
SectionOperating
CategoryEfficiency
SignalContext dependent
VolatilityStable
First reportedQ1 2014
Last reportedQ1 2026
How to read this metric
Increasing levels may indicate a focus on talent retention but can also signal potential shareholder dilution.
Detailed definition
This represents the value of equity-based awards granted to employees as part of their total compensation package. Since...
Peer comparison
Standard across large-cap corporations; varies based on corporate compensation philosophy.
Metric ID:
stock_based_compensationHistorical Data
15 periods
| Q1 '21 | Q3 '21 | Q4 '21 | Q1 '22 | Q3 '22 | Q4 '22 | Q1 '23 | Q3 '23 | Q4 '23 | Q1 '24 | Q3 '24 | Q4 '24 | Q1 '25 | Q3 '25 | Q4 '25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | $550.00M | $388.00M | $516.00M | $606.00M | $402.00M | $549.00M | $643.00M | $444.00M | $580.00M | $686.00M | $463.00M | $614.00M | $720.00M | $486.00M | $652.00M |
| QoQ Change | — | -29.5% | +33.0% | +17.4% | -33.7% | +36.6% | +17.1% | -30.9% | +30.6% | +18.3% | -32.5% | +32.6% | +17.3% | -32.5% | +34.2% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | +10.2% | +3.6% | +6.4% | +6.1% | +10.4% | +5.6% | +6.7% | +4.3% | +5.9% | +5.0% | +5.0% | +6.2% |
Range$388.00M – $720.00M
CAGR+5.0%
Avg YoY Growth+6.3%
Median YoY Growth+6.0%
Stock-Based Comp at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Costco Wholesale's stock-based comp?
- Costco Wholesale (COST) reported stock-based comp of $652.00M in Q4 2025.
- How has Costco Wholesale's stock-based comp changed year-over-year?
- Costco Wholesale's stock-based comp increased by 6.2% year-over-year, from $614.00M to $652.00M.
- What does stock-based comp mean?
- The non-cash cost of paying employees with company stock instead of cash.