Costco Special Dividend $30: Dates, Payout & History
How to get the Costco $30 dividend: key dates
| Step | Date | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Declaration | Tuesday, November 10, 2026 | Board announced the $30 special dividend and the new $4 billion buyback |
| Last day to buy | Monday, November 23, 2026 (market close) | Own COST shares by the close of trading on this day to qualify |
| Ex-dividend date | Expected Tuesday, November 24, 2026 | Shares bought from this day on do not get the $30; the price usually opens lower by about the dividend |
| Record date | Tuesday, November 24, 2026 | Costco's transfer agent checks who owns shares at the close of business |
| Payment date | Friday, December 4, 2026 | Cash lands in brokerage accounts of eligible shareholders |
Costco Special Dividend $30 Per Share: Dates, Payout Math and History
Costco declared a $30 per share special dividend on November 10, 2026. Here is who gets paid, the exact dates, how much you receive per share, every Costco special dividend since 2012, and whether buying before November 24 makes sense.
Costco special dividend $30 per share: what was announced
On Tuesday, November 10, 2026, Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST) declared a special cash dividend of $30 per share. It is payable on Friday, December 4, 2026, to shareholders of record at the close of business on Tuesday, November 24, 2026. The company put the total payout at about $13.3 billion.
The $30 is a one-time payment. It comes on top of Costco's regular quarterly dividend of $1.47 per share, which continues on its normal schedule. The same day the board also reauthorized a stock buyback of up to $4 billion running to November 2030, replacing the 2023 program under which about $3.1 billion had been repurchased.
This is the largest special dividend in Costco's history and double the $15 special dividend paid in January 2024. It is the sixth special dividend the company has paid since 2012.
How much Costco dividend you get: the payout math
The payout is simple: $30 times the number of shares you hold at the record date. 1 share pays $30, 10 shares pay $300, 100 shares pay $3,000. Fractional shares at most brokers receive the matching fraction. With about $13.3 billion going out, the payment covers roughly 443 million shares outstanding.
Measured against the November 12, 2026 close of about $1,092, the special dividend equals about 2.7% of the share price. The regular dividend of $1.47 per quarter ($5.88 a year) yields only about 0.5%. Counting both, the trailing yield for this year comes to about 3.3%.
Why the ex-dividend date should match the record date: U.S. stocks now settle one business day after the trade (T+1), so the ex-date normally falls on the record date. Exchanges only defer the ex-date for very large special dividends, at 25% or more of the share price, and $30 is under 3% of COST, so that rule should not apply. Check the exchange notice before trading on the exact day.
Costco dividend history: every special dividend since 2012
| Paid | Per share | Total payout |
|---|---|---|
| December 2012 | $7 | About $3.0 billion |
| February 2015 | $5 | About $2.2 billion |
| May 2017 | $7 | About $3.1 billion |
| December 2020 | $10 | About $4.4 billion |
| January 2024 (declared December 2023) | $15 | About $6.7 billion |
| December 4, 2026 | $30 | About $13.3 billion, the largest so far |
Why is Costco's regular dividend so low?
Costco runs on thin product margins and earns most of its profit from membership fees. Management keeps the regular dividend small and steady, raising it every year, and returns surplus cash in lumps through special dividends when the balance sheet builds up more cash than the business needs.
That is why the regular yield looks tiny next to the stock price. COST has traded at a high valuation for years (a price-to-earnings ratio around 50 in November 2026), so even a growing $5.88 annual dividend works out to only about half a percent.
The pattern repeats: specials have come every two to four years (2012, 2015, 2017, 2020, 2024 and now 2026), each one larger than the last. There is no fixed schedule, so the next special dividend cannot be predicted from the calendar.
Should you buy Costco stock before November 24 for the dividend?
Buying only to collect the $30 rarely adds value. On the ex-dividend date the share price normally falls by about the dividend, because $13.3 billion of cash leaves the company. You end up with $30 in cash and a share worth about $30 less.
Tax matters too. In a taxable U.S. account, a dividend counts as qualified (lower tax rate) only if you held the shares more than 60 days during the 121-day window that starts 60 days before the ex-date. Someone who buys on November 23 and sells soon after pays ordinary income tax on the $30. In an IRA or other tax-advantaged account this does not apply.
The better question is whether you want to own Costco at about 50 times earnings for the long run. The special dividend shows strong cash generation, but it does not change the valuation. This page is research, not investment advice.
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Upgrade to Gemral Edge Pro ($39/mo)Frequently asked questions
When is the Costco $30 dividend paid?
On Friday, December 4, 2026, to shareholders of record at the close of business on Tuesday, November 24, 2026.
What is the last day to buy Costco stock to get the $30 dividend?
Monday, November 23, 2026, by the market close. With T+1 settlement the ex-dividend date is expected on November 24, so shares bought that day or later do not qualify.
How often does Costco pay dividends?
The regular dividend is paid every quarter, currently $1.47 per share. Special dividends are irregular: 2012, 2015, 2017, 2020, 2024 and 2026.
Does Costco stock drop after a special dividend?
Usually yes, by roughly the dividend amount on the ex-dividend date, because the cash leaves the company. Other market moves on the same day can hide or exaggerate that drop.
Is the Costco special dividend taxable?
Yes, in a taxable account. It is taxed at the lower qualified dividend rate if you meet the 60-day holding rule around the ex-date; otherwise it is taxed as ordinary income.
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