Quarterly Financial Data (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data in Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
May 08, 2011 | Feb. 13, 2011 | Nov. 21, 2010 | May 09, 2010 | Feb. 14, 2010 | Nov. 22, 2009 | Aug. 28, 2011 | Aug. 29, 2010 | Aug. 28, 2011 | Aug. 29, 2010 | Aug. 30, 2009 | |||||||||||||
| REVENUE | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net sales | $ 20,188 | [1] | $ 20,449 | [1] | $ 18,823 | [1] | $ 17,385 | $ 18,356 | $ 16,922 | $ 27,588 | [1] | $ 23,592 | $ 87,048 | [1] | $ 76,255 | $ 69,889 | |||||||
| Membership fees | 435 | [1] | 426 | [1] | 416 | [1] | 395 | 386 | 377 | 590 | [1] | 533 | 1,867 | [1] | 1,691 | 1,533 | |||||||
| Total revenue | 20,623 | [1] | 20,875 | [1] | 19,239 | [1] | 17,780 | 18,742 | 17,299 | 28,178 | [1] | 24,125 | 88,915 | [1] | 77,946 | 71,422 | |||||||
| OPERATING EXPENSES | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Merchandise costs | 18,067 | [1],[2] | 18,235 | [1],[2] | 16,757 | [1] | 15,494 | 16,396 | 15,081 | 24,680 | [1],[2] | 21,024 | 77,739 | [1] | 67,995 | 62,335 | |||||||
| Selling, general and administrative | 1,991 | [1] | 2,038 | [1] | 1,941 | [1] | 1,789 | 1,873 | [3] | 1,777 | 2,712 | [1] | 2,401 | 8,682 | [1] | 7,840 | 7,252 | ||||||
| Preopening expenses | 8 | [1] | 4 | [1] | 12 | [1] | 3 | 3 | 11 | 22 | [1] | 9 | 46 | [1] | 26 | 41 | |||||||
| Provision for impaired assets and closing costs, net | 1 | [1] | 2 | [1] | 4 | [1] | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | [1] | 3 | 9 | [1] | 8 | 17 | |||||||
| Operating income | 556 | [1] | 596 | [1] | 525 | [1] | 491 | 470 | 428 | 762 | [1] | 688 | 2,439 | [1] | 2,077 | 1,777 | |||||||
| OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest expense | (27) | [1] | (27) | [1] | (26) | [1] | (27) | (26) | (24) | (36) | [1] | (34) | (116) | [1] | (111) | (108) | |||||||
| Interest income and other, net | 5 | [1] | 4 | [1] | 5 | [1] | 10 | 30 | 18 | 46 | [1] | 30 | 60 | [1] | 88 | 58 | |||||||
| INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES | 534 | [1] | 573 | [1] | 504 | [1] | 474 | 474 | 422 | 772 | [1] | 684 | 2,383 | [1] | 2,054 | 1,727 | |||||||
| Provision for income taxes | 193 | [1] | 204 | [1] | 172 | [1] | 163 | 169 | 152 | 272 | [1] | 247 | 841 | [1] | 731 | 628 | |||||||
| Net income including noncontrolling interests | 341 | [1] | 369 | [1] | 332 | [1] | 311 | 305 | 270 | 500 | [1] | 437 | 1,542 | [1] | 1,323 | 1,099 | |||||||
| Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests | (17) | [1] | (21) | [1] | (20) | [1] | (5) | (6) | (4) | (22) | [1] | (5) | (80) | [1] | (20) | (13) | |||||||
| NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO COSTCO | 324 | [1] | 348 | [1] | 312 | [1] | 306 | 299 | 266 | 478 | [1] | 432 | 1,462 | [1] | 1,303 | 1,086 | |||||||
| NET INCOME PER COMMON SHARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO COSTCO: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Basic | $ 0.74 | [1] | $ 0.80 | [1] | $ 0.72 | [1] | $ 0.69 | $ 0.68 | $ 0.61 | $ 1.09 | [1] | $ 0.99 | $ 3.35 | [1] | $ 2.97 | $ 2.50 | |||||||
| Diluted | $ 0.73 | [1] | $ 0.79 | [1] | $ 0.71 | [1] | $ 0.68 | $ 0.67 | $ 0.60 | $ 1.08 | [1] | $ 0.97 | $ 3.30 | [1] | $ 2.92 | $ 2.47 | |||||||
| Shares used in calculation (000's) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Basic | 436,977 | [1] | 436,682 | [1] | 434,099 | [1] | 440,973 | 439,786 | 437,173 | 436,596 | [1] | 437,071 | 436,119 | [1] | 438,611 | 433,988 | |||||||
| Diluted | 443,570 | [1] | 443,186 | [1] | 441,360 | [1] | 448,391 | 446,918 | 444,849 | 443,518 | [1] | 444,289 | 443,094 | [1] | 445,970 | 440,454 | |||||||
| Dividends per share | $ 0.240 | [1] | $ 0.205 | [1] | $ 0.205 | [1] | $ 0.205 | $ 0.180 | $ 0.180 | $ 0.240 | [1] | $ 0.205 | $ 0.89 | [1] | $ 0.77 | $ 0.68 | |||||||
| Increase to merchandise costs for LIFO inventory adjustment | 49 | 6 | 32 | 87 | 32 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Charge related to change in employee benefits | $ 22 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition Represents charge related to change in accounting for employee benefits.
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition The charge against earnings related to the impairment of long-lived assets; future lease obligations of warehouses that have been closed or relocated to new facilities; accelerated depreciation, based on the shortened useful life through the expected closing date, on buildings to be demolished or sold; and gains or losses resulting from the sale of real property.
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition Aggregate dividends paid during the period for each share of common stock outstanding. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition Total costs related to goods produced and sold during the reporting period. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Details
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Details
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition The amount of net income (loss) for the period per each share of common stock or unit outstanding during the reporting period. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition The amount of net income (loss) for the period available to each share of common stock or common unit outstanding during the reporting period and to each share or unit that would have been outstanding assuming the issuance of common shares or units for all dilutive potential common shares or units outstanding during the reporting period. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition This element represents the income or loss from continuing operations attributable to the economic entity which may also be defined as revenue less expenses from ongoing operations, after income or loss from equity method investments, but before income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition The sum of the current income tax expense or benefit and the deferred income tax expense or benefit pertaining to continuing operations. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition The amount of interest income and other income recognized during the period. Included in this element is interest derived from investments in debt securities, cash and cash equivalents, and other investments which reflect the time value of money or transactions in which the payments are for the use or forbearance of money and other income from ancillary business-related activities (that is, excluding major activities considered part of the normal operations of the business).
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition The cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest that was charged against earnings during the period. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition The change in the inventory reserve representing the cumulative difference in cost between the first in, first out and the last in, first out inventory valuation methods, which change has been reflected in the statement of income during the period. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition The portion of profit or loss for the period, net of income taxes, which is attributable to the parent. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition The portion of net Income or Loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest (if any) deducted in order to derive the portion attributable to the parent. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition The net result for the period of deducting operating expenses from operating revenues.
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Details
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition Expenditures associated with opening new locations which are noncapital in nature and expensed as incurred. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition The consolidated profit or loss for the period, net of income taxes, including the portion attributable to the noncontrolling interest. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition Revenue earned during the period from enrollment, registration and customer start up fees. Commonly used in health and fitness clubs and other membership clubs, but excluding hotel, cruise lines, casinos, and other hospitality concerns which are included in Facility Membership and Operations Revenue. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition Aggregate revenue recognized during the period (derived from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an entity's earning process). For financial services companies, also includes investment and interest income, and sales and trading gains. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Details
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition The aggregate total costs related to selling a firm's product and services, as well as all other general and administrative expenses. Direct selling expenses (for example, credit, warranty, and advertising) are expenses that can be directly linked to the sale of specific products. Indirect selling expenses are expenses that cannot be directly linked to the sale of specific products, for example telephone expenses, Internet, and postal charges. General and administrative expenses include salaries of non-sales personnel, rent, utilities, communication, etc. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition The average number of shares or units issued and outstanding that are used in calculating diluted EPS or earnings per unit (EPU), determined based on the timing of issuance of shares or units in the period. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Details
|
| X | ||||||||||
- Definition Number of [basic] shares or units, after adjustment for contingently issuable shares or units and other shares or units not deemed outstanding, determined by relating the portion of time within a reporting period that common shares or units have been outstanding to the total time in that period. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
|