has costco ever split its stock — history & timeline

has costco ever split its stock? Yes — Costco and predecessor companies have executed multiple stock splits; the last split that affected Costco common shares was a 2-for-1 in January 2000. This ar...

2026-01-27 03:53:00

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Has Costco ever split its stock?

has costco ever split its stock? Yes — across its corporate lineage (including The Price Company and the Price–Costco combination), there have been multiple stock-split events and merger exchange adjustments. The last traditional split that directly affected Costco’s publicly traded common shares under the COST ticker was a 2-for-1 split in January 2000. This article explains what those events were, why they matter to investors and record-keepers, and where to confirm authoritative details.

Note on timeliness: As of January 23, 2026, according to Costco investor relations and major market-data aggregators, the canonical record shows multiple split events tied to Costco and predecessor entities; company materials remain the primary source for official ratios and exchange factors.

Overview

A stock split is a corporate action that increases the number of outstanding shares by issuing more shares to existing shareholders in a specified ratio (for example, 2-for-1 doubles share count and halves the per-share price, all else equal). Investors often ask "has costco ever split its stock" because Costco’s share price has historically been high relative to many retailers, and splits can improve perceived affordability and trading liquidity without changing a company’s total market capitalization.

Short practical takeaway:

has costco ever split its stock? — Yes. Multiple split events appear in historical records; the last traditional split for Costco common shares was a 2-for-1 in January 2000. Some earlier split-like adjustments were executed by predecessor companies (notably The Price Company), and merger exchange factors during the Price–Costco combination further complicate the split history.

This guide covers:

Corporate context for why split records include predecessor events
A date-by-date chronology of splits and merger-related adjustments
Where to find primary company records
Recent management commentary about future splits
How splits affect historical prices, dividends, and recordkeeping
A short FAQ and references for further reading

Corporate and historical context

To understand whether has costco ever split its stock, it helps to follow the corporate lineage. Costco Wholesale Corporation (ticker: COST) today traces parts of its corporate history through a combination with The Price Company and other related corporate actions that create multiple layers of recordkeeping.

Key corporate points relevant to split records:

The Price Company was a separate public retailer that executed stock splits while independent. Later corporate transactions involving Price and Costco (including the Price–Costco merger and spin-offs) created share-exchange ratios and distributions that effectively adjusted shareholders’ holdings — these are recorded alongside plain-vanilla splits in many historical databases.
Following the Price–Costco combination and later corporate changes, the surviving public entity carried forward shares under the COST ticker. Some split records in public databases list only splits that directly changed the COST ticker, while others include splits and exchange ratios from predecessor companies; that explains apparent discrepancies across sources.
Company investor-relations pages and SEC filings are the authoritative sources for official split dates, exchange ratios, and spin-off distributions.

Because of this corporate complexity, the short answer to "has costco ever split its stock" is best given with context: yes, there were multiple split events in the combined corporate history; when restricting to splits that directly affected the surviving COST ticker, the last conventional split was in January 2000.

Chronology of stock splits and related corporate actions

This chronology combines split events associated with Costco and with predecessor/merged entities (notably The Price Company). Dates and event descriptions below represent consolidated information from company materials and market-data aggregators. Note that some databases differ in whether they list only splits applied to the public COST ticker or include predecessor-company splits and merger exchange factors.

Listed timeline (by date)

1984-06-12 — The Price Company: 2-for-1 split. (An early split by The Price Company prior to its later corporate combinations.)
1986-02-03 — The Price Company: 2-for-1 split. (Another split executed while Price was a separate public company.)
1991-05-15 — Costco: 2-for-1 split. (Costco executed a 2-for-1 split in mid-1991 while operating under its own public listing.)
1992-03-06 — Costco: 3-for-2 split. (A follow-up split increasing outstanding shares by 50%.)
1993-10-21 / 1993-10-22 — Price / PriceCostco merger exchange. The Price Company and Costco completed corporate transactions that produced exchange ratios converting Price shareholders’ holdings into shares of the combined entity (often reported as a ~2.13-for-1 effective exchange for Price shareholders in consolidation reporting). This item is sometimes shown as an "exchange" rather than a pure split; it functioned as an adjustment to holdership during the merger.
1994-12-20 — Spin-off of Price Enterprises, Inc. A distribution related to corporate restructuring following the combination of Price and Costco; treated as a 1-for-1 distribution in company records and resulting in separate equity for the spun-off entity.
2000-01-13 / 2000-01-14 — Costco: 2-for-1 split. This is the last standard split applied to Costco common shares under the surviving public structure; market-data services identify January 2000 as the most recent split for the COST ticker.

Notes on the timeline:

Different market-data aggregators may present the timeline with minor differences in date formatting or in inclusion/exclusion of predecessor-company events. Some resources list only splits that adjusted the surviving COST ticker; others include The Price Company’s earlier splits and merger exchange multipliers as part of a continuous split history.
Official investor-relations materials and SEC filings provide the canonical documentation for each event, including exact exchange ratios and the record and distribution dates. For authoritative confirmation of any specific split or exchange factor, refer to company filings and investor-relations archives.

Official company records and primary sources

Primary, authoritative sources for splits and merger exchange details are the company’s investor relations pages and periodic SEC filings. These primary resources typically include:

Official stock-split or share-distribution notices
Merger agreements with exchange ratios for affected classes of shares
Historical dividend and split tables that list record dates, distribution ratios, and effective dates

As of January 23, 2026, authoritative reporting from Costco’s investor relations materials remains the recommended first reference for anyone confirming whether has costco ever split its stock and what the official ratios and record dates were. Market-data aggregators (MacroTrends, CompaniesMarketCap, Stocksplithistory, etc.) compile these items but may differ in presentation; always confirm by checking the company’s own documents.

Recent commentary and management position

Investor and media interest in whether has costco ever split its stock has resurfaced at times when Costco’s share price rose strongly. Management commentary on stock splits has been relatively consistent: Costco’s executives have historically indicated no active plan to split shares in the near term. Reasons cited in public comments and media coverage include the availability of fractional-share trading through brokers and the company’s general focus on long-term fundamentals rather than short-term optics.

As of January 23, 2026, reporting from financial media and interview transcripts indicates that Costco’s senior management and investor-relations materials do not signal any immediate intention to initiate another conventional split. Analysts and market commentators, however, periodically discuss the hypothetical of a split if the share price reaches levels where retail accessibility becomes a growing investor concern. Databases and commentary pieces (reported by financial outlets) often contrast Costco’s approach with companies that choose splits more frequently for perceived psychological or liquidity benefits.

Market and investor implications of Costco stock splits

Understanding the practical implications helps explain why investors ask "has costco ever split its stock":

Effect on market capitalization: A split does not change a company’s total value. A 2-for-1 split doubles the number of outstanding shares while halving the per-share price, leaving market cap unchanged.
Liquidity and trading unit: Lower per-share prices can make whole-share purchases more accessible to individual investors and may increase trade activity by reducing the notional dollar cost of each share. In modern markets, fractional-share trading reduces the need for this consideration, since investors can buy fractional shares through many brokers.
Psychological and index effects: Some investors perceive lower nominal share prices as more affordable, which can affect demand and volatility. For stocks included in index funds, splits can make rebalancing simpler for funds that prefer holding whole shares, though most funds and custodians are equipped to manage splits.
Employee equity programs: Splits can simplify stock-based compensation by yielding rounder share counts for grants and vesting schedules.

For Costco specifically, the company and many analysts have emphasized operational and long-term fundamentals over cosmetic changes to share price. That perspective, combined with widespread support for fractional-share trading, partly explains the lack of a recent split since January 2000.

How splits affect historical prices, dividends, and recordkeeping

When researching whether has costco ever split its stock, researchers must be aware that historical price series and dividend tables are typically adjusted for splits so that charts and return calculations are comparable over time. Key points:

Price adjustments: Historical price charts provided by most data vendors are split-adjusted. A pre-split price will appear lower in adjusted series so that returns are consistent across the split date.
Dividend history: Dividend per-share figures are often adjusted for splits in company tables, or the record will note the pre-split figures and provide the effective post-split values.
Merger exchange factors: For events tied to mergers (e.g., Price–Costco), databases may present exchange ratios that effectively convert predecessor-company shares into post-merger equivalents. When calculating historical returns that span a merger, use the documented exchange factors to convert pre-merger holdings into the equivalent post-merger share counts.

Best practice for researchers: use primary company filings and official investor-relations archives to verify exact split ratios, record dates, and exchange factors. Aggregators (MacroTrends, Stocksplithistory, etc.) are helpful but should be cross-checked.

Comparison with peers

How does Costco’s split cadence compare with other large retailers and blue-chip companies?

Some long-standing retailers and large-cap companies have executed multiple splits over decades to keep nominal share prices relatively low for retail investors.
Others, particularly companies with sustained high share prices, have chosen not to split frequently or at all, relying instead on fractional-share trading and institutional ownership structures.

Costco’s last traditional split in January 2000 places it among companies that have not pursued frequent splitting in the 21st century. Media coverage and analyst commentary sometimes compare Costco with other major retailers and large-cap names to explore whether a split would follow rising nominal share prices, but company management statements and modern trading infrastructure (fractional shares) have moderated the urgency of such actions.

Frequently asked questions

Q: When was the last Costco split? A: The last traditional split for Costco common shares under the surviving public structure was a 2-for-1 split in January 2000. For the full corporate lineage (including The Price Company), earlier splits by predecessor companies occurred in the 1980s and early 1990s.

Q: Does a split change my ownership percentage in Costco? A: No. A split increases the number of shares outstanding and proportionately increases each shareholder’s share count, but individual ownership percentage and the company’s total market capitalization remain the same.

Q: Where can I find official split records for Costco? A: The authoritative records are Costco’s investor relations pages and SEC filings (proxy statements, 8-Ks, and registration statements). Secondary aggregators compile these records but may present slightly different timelines depending on whether they include predecessor company events.

Q: Are historical prices adjusted for splits? A: Yes. Most financial-data platforms present split-adjusted historical prices so that long-term charts and return calculations are comparable across split dates.

Q: Could Costco split again in the near future? A: As of January 23, 2026, company commentary and public reporting indicate no active plan to split shares. Management and investor-relations communications have historically emphasized long-term business performance; fractional-share trading also reduces the perceived need for a traditional split.

References and further reading (selected sources)

The following sources were used to compile the above timeline and commentary. For authoritative confirmation of any specific date or ratio, consult the company’s investor-relations materials and SEC filings.

Costco Wholesale — Dividend History / Splits (official investor relations materials). As of January 23, 2026, the company’s investor-relations pages list split and distribution records and provide primary documentation for exchange ratios and record dates.
Costco Investor FAQs — stock split and merger details (official investor-relations FAQ materials). As of January 23, 2026, these FAQs clarify how merger exchanges and spin-offs affected shareholder holdings.
CompaniesMarketCap — Stock split history for Costco. Aggregated split timeline used for cross-reference as of January 23, 2026.
MacroTrends — Costco stock split history. Historical split-adjusted price series and split date listings; cross-checked as of January 23, 2026.
StockSplitHistory — Costco Wholesale Stock Split History. A compiled ledger of split events as of January 23, 2026.
Motley Fool — reporting and commentary on Costco management’s public statements about stock splits. As of January 23, 2026, Motley Fool coverage noted management’s stance that there were no immediate plans to split shares.
Nasdaq — analysis pieces discussing the prospect of a Costco stock split and market implications. Referenced as of January 23, 2026.
Investopedia — background on investor chatter and analysis about Costco stock split possibilities; referenced as of January 23, 2026.
Cheddarflow — historical analysis and commentary on Costco split history and market context; referenced as of January 23, 2026.
MarketBeat / MammothTimes — compiled split history and timelines; cross-referenced as of January 23, 2026.

Notes on source discrepancies

Different databases and secondary sources sometimes report different timelines or include different subsets of events when answering "has costco ever split its stock." Common reasons for discrepancies:

Some aggregators record only splits applied directly to the surviving COST ticker, omitting predecessor-company splits executed by The Price Company prior to consolidation.
Merger exchange ratios and spin-off distributions may be reported as splits by some services (because they mechanically adjust share counts) even though they were legally distinct transactions (mergers, exchanges, or distributions) rather than pure stock splits.

To resolve any discrepancy, consult the original SEC filings, the company’s official investor-relations archives, or the relevant merger agreement language to confirm the legal mechanics and exact ratios.

Practical next steps and where to verify records

If you are researching whether has costco ever split its stock for tax, accounting, or academic purposes, follow these practical steps:

Check Costco’s investor-relations "Dividend History / Splits" table and the investor FAQs for the canonical event list (official primary source).
Review relevant SEC filings around the dates in question (8-Ks, proxy statements, and merger proxy materials) for precise legal language and exchange ratios.
Use market-data aggregators as cross-references for split-adjusted historical prices, but treat them as secondary sources.

For individual investors tracking current market activity or considering transactions, use real-time market-data services for up-to-date quotes and consult your broker or tax advisor for the implications of any corporate action.

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