Costco Korea, the U.S.-based warehouse retailer, was found to have remitted 250 billion won to its headquarters from Korea over the past year, more than the net profit it earned in the country. Donations made domestically totaled 1.4 billion won.
According to the audit report submitted by Costco Korea on the 19th, sales for the fiscal year from September 2024 to August 2025 were 7.322 trillion won, up 12.1% from a year earlier. Operating profit for the same period rose 16.5% to 254.5 billion won.
Dividends for this fiscal year totaled 250 billion won, up 100 billion won from 150 billion won a year earlier. That exceeds this year's net profit (206.2 billion won), putting the payout ratio at 121.27%. The entire dividend will be paid to Costco Wholesale in the United States, which owns 100% of Costco Korea's equity.
By contrast, expenditure on social contribution was minimal. Costco Korea's donations this year were 1.4 billion won, a slight increase from 1.2 billion won a year earlier, but only 0.7% of net profit.
Costco Korea currently operates 20 stores nationwide, including in Seoul.