Note 1—Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Description of Business

Costco Wholesale Corporation (Costco or the Company), a Washington corporation, and its subsidiaries operate membership warehouses based on the concept that offering members low prices on a limited selection of nationally-branded and private-label products in a wide range of merchandise categories will produce high sales volumes and rapid inventory turnover. For the period ended May 12, 2019, Costco operated 772 warehouses worldwide: 535 in the United States (U.S.) located in 44 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, 100 in Canada, 39 in Mexico, 28 in the United Kingdom (U.K.), 26 in Japan, 16 in Korea, 13 in Taiwan, 11 in Australia, two in Spain, and one each in Iceland and France. The Company operates e-commerce websites in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, U.K., Korea, and Taiwan.

Basis of Presentation

The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Costco, its wholly-owned subsidiaries, and subsidiaries in which it has a controlling interest. The Company reports noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities as a component of equity separate from the Company’s equity. All material inter-company transactions between and among the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries have been eliminated in consolidation. The Company’s net income excludes income attributable to the noncontrolling interest in Taiwan. During the first quarter of 2018, the Company purchased its former joint venture partner's remaining equity interest in its Korean operations. Unless otherwise noted, references to net income relate to net income attributable to Costco.

These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q for interim financial reporting pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). While these statements reflect all normal recurring adjustments that are, in the opinion of management, necessary for fair presentation of the results of the interim period, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (U.S. GAAP) for complete financial statements. Therefore, the interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes included in the Company's Annual Report filed on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 2, 2018.

Fiscal Year End

The Company operates on a 52/53 week fiscal year basis, with the fiscal year ending on the Sunday closest to August 31. Fiscal 2019 is a 52 week year ending on September 1, 2019. References to the third quarter of 2019 and 2018 relate to the 12 week fiscal quarters ended May 12, 2019, and May 13, 2018, respectively. References to the first thirty-six weeks of 2019 and 2018 relate to the 36 weeks ended May 12, 2019, and May 13, 2018, respectively.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates and assumptions.

Revenue Recognition

The Company recognizes sales for the amount of consideration collected from the member, which includes gross shipping fees where applicable, and is net of sales taxes collected and remitted to government agencies and returns. The Company reserves for estimated returns based on historical trends in merchandise returns and reduces sales and merchandise costs accordingly. The Company records, on a gross basis, a refund liability and an asset for recovery, which are included in other current liabilities and other current assets, respectively, in the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Merchandise Sales - The Company offers merchandise in the following core merchandise categories: food and sundries, hardlines, softlines, and fresh foods. The Company also provides expanded products and services through warehouse ancillary and other businesses. The majority of revenue from merchandise sales is recognized at the point of sale. Revenue generated through e-commerce or special orders is recognized upon shipment to the member to the extent there is no installation provided as a part of the contract. For merchandise shipped directly to the member, shipping and handling costs are expensed as incurred as fulfillment costs and included in merchandise costs in the condensed consolidated statements of income. In certain ancillary businesses, revenue is deferred until the member picks up merchandise at the warehouse. Deferred sales are included in other current liabilities in the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Principal Versus Agent - The Company is the principal for the majority of its transactions and recognizes revenue on a gross basis. The Company is the principal when it has control of the merchandise or service before it is transferred to the member, which generally is established when Costco is primarily responsible for merchandising decisions, maintains the relationship with the member, including assurance of member service and satisfaction, and has pricing discretion.

Membership Fees - The Company accounts for membership fee revenue, net of refunds, on a deferred basis, ratably over the one-year membership period. For the first thirty-six weeks of 2019, the Company recognized $2,302 of membership fees, of which $1,451 was included in deferred membership at the end of 2018.

In certain countries, the Company's Executive members qualify for a 2% reward on qualified purchases (up to a maximum of approximately $1,000 per year), which does not expire and can be redeemed only at Costco warehouses. The Company accounts for this reward as a reduction in sales, net of the estimated impact of non-redemptions (breakage), with the corresponding liability classified as accrued member rewards in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. Estimated breakage is computed based on redemption data. In the third quarter of 2019 and 2018 the net reduction in sales was $346 and $316, respectively. In the first thirty-six weeks of 2019 and 2018 the net reduction in sales was $1,060 and $962, respectively.

Cash Cards - The Company sells and otherwise provides proprietary cash cards that do not expire and are redeemable at the warehouse or online for merchandise or membership. Revenue from cash cards is recognized upon redemption, and estimated breakage is recognized based on redemption data. The Company accounts for outstanding cash card balances as a cash card liability, net of estimated breakage and as of May 12, 2019, and September 2, 2018, the liability was not material.

Co-Branded Credit Card Program - Citibank, N.A. (“Citi”) became the exclusive issuer of co-branded credit cards to U.S. members in June 2016. The Company receives various forms of consideration, including a royalty on purchases made on the card outside of Costco, a portion of which, after giving rise to estimated breakage, is used to fund the rebate that cardholders receive. The rebates are issued in February and expire on December 31 of each year. Breakage is estimated based on redemption data.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements Adopted

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2014-09, providing for changes in the recognition of revenue from contracts with customers. The guidance requires disclosures sufficient to describe the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows. The Company adopted the standard in the first quarter of 2019, using the modified retrospective approach, and recorded a cumulative effect adjustment of $16 as an increase to retained earnings, which is included in cash dividend declared and other in the condensed consolidated statements of equity.

The standard impacted the presentation and timing of certain revenue transactions. Specifically, the changes included gross presentation of the Company’s estimate of merchandise returns reserve and the related recoverable assets, recognizing cash card breakage over the period of redemption, and accelerating the recognition of certain e-commerce and special-order sales. Additionally, the Company’s evaluation under the standard of its status as a principal in certain vendor arrangements resulted in the recognition of additional sales on a gross basis.

The effect of the standard on the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheet was an increase to other current liabilities and other current assets of $649 and $694 at adoption and at the end of the third quarter of 2019, respectively, related to the estimate of merchandise returns reserve and the related recoverable assets.

The effect of the adoption of this standard on the Company's condensed consolidated statement of income is as follows:



	As Reported		ASU 2014-09 Effect		Excluding ASU 2014-09 Effect
12 Weeks Ended May 12, 2019
Net Sales	$	33,964	$	346	$	33,618
Merchandise Costs	30,233		342		29,891
Gross Margin ⁽¹⁾	3,731		4		3,727

36 Weeks Ended May 12, 2019
Net Sales	$	102,903	$	865	$	102,038
Merchandise Costs	91,576		856		90,720
Gross Margin ⁽¹⁾	11,327		9		11,318

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(1)	Net sales less merchandise costs.

For related disaggregated revenue disclosures, see Note 10.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, which requires recognition on the balance sheet of rights and obligations created by leases with terms greater than twelve months. The standard is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those years beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The Company plans to adopt this guidance at the beginning of its first quarter of fiscal 2020 and utilize the transition option, which allows for a cumulative-effect adjustment in the period of adoption and does not require application of the guidance to comparative periods. The primary effect of adoption will be recording right-of-use assets and corresponding lease obligations for current operating leases. Although the Company continues to evaluate the effect to the Company's consolidated financial statements and disclosures, management currently estimates total assets and liabilities will increase by approximately $2,500 to $3,000 upon adoption. This estimate could change as the Company continues to progress with implementation and will also fluctuate based on the lease portfolio, discount rates and currency exchange rates as of the adoption date. The adoption is not expected to have a material impact to the Company's consolidated statements of income or cash flows. The Company is reviewing current accounting policies and related disclosures, and evaluating changes to business processes, systems and controls to support adoption of the new standard, which includes implementing a new lease accounting system.