Agentic search

Appendix

Fetched (12). Under each link: history yes or no, and the one quote we kept.

• https://www.costco.com/f/-/about
  yes · “In 1983, the first Costco warehouse location was opened in Seattle.”
  Extract

  {
    "founders": [
      "Sol Price",
      "Jim Sinegal",
      "Jeff Brotman"
    ],
    "milestones": [
      {
        "year": "1976",
        "event": "First location under the Price Club name opened",
        "quote": "The company's first location, opened in 1976 under the Price Club name, was in a converted airplane hangar on Morena Boulevard in San Diego."
      },
      {
        "year": "1983",
        "event": "First Costco warehouse location opened in Seattle",
        "quote": "In 1983, the first Costco warehouse location was opened in Seattle."
      },
      {
        "year": "1993",
        "event": "Merger with Price Club",
        "quote": "When Costco and Price Club merged in 1993, the combined company, operating under the name PriceCostco, had 206 locations generating $16 billion in annual sales."
      },
      {
        "year": "1997",
        "event": "Resumed the Costco name",
        "quote": "Since resuming the Costco name in 1997, the company has grown worldwide with total sales in recent fiscal years exceeding $64 billion."
      }
    ],
    "founded_year": "1983",
    "ownership_changes": [
      {
        "year": "1993",
        "event": "Merger with Price Club",
        "quote": "When Costco and Price Club merged in 1993, the combined company, operating under the name PriceCostco, had 206 locations generating $16 billion in annual sales.",
        "parties": "Costco, Price Club"
      }
    ],
    "name_or_legal_changes": [
      "Price Club to Costco",
      "PriceCostco to Costco"
    ],
    "page_is_about_company_history": true
  }

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costco
  yes · “In December 1985, Costco went public, opening on the NASDAQ at $10 per share.”
  Extract

  {
    "founders": [
      "James Sinegal",
      "Jeffrey Brotman"
    ],
    "milestones": [
      {
        "year": "1983-09-15",
        "event": "First Costco warehouse opened in Seattle",
        "quote": "Sinegal had started in wholesale distribution by working for Sol Price at FedMart; Brotman, an attorney from an old Seattle retailing family, had also been involved in retail distribution from an early age."
      },
      {
        "year": "1985-12",
        "event": "Costco went public",
        "quote": "In December 1985, Costco went public, opening on the NASDAQ at $10 per share."
      },
      {
        "year": "1993-00",
        "event": "Merger with Price Club to become PriceCostco",
        "quote": "In 1993, Costco and Price Club agreed to merge operations."
      },
      {
        "year": "1996-00",
        "event": "Headquarters moved to Issaquah, WA",
        "quote": "Costco moved its headquarters from Kirkland to Issaquah in 1996."
      },
      {
        "year": "1997-00",
        "event": "Reverted to using the Costco name and stock symbol",
        "quote": "PriceCostco officially reverted to using the Costco name and stock symbol in February 1997."
      },
      {
        "year": "2020-03-00",
        "event": "Acquisition of Innovel",
        "quote": "In March 2020, Costco announced the acquisition of Innovel, a logistics company, for one billion dollars."
      }
    ],
    "founded_year": "1983-09-15",
    "ownership_changes": [
      {
        "year": "1995-12",
        "event": "Initial public offering",
        "quote": "In December 1985, Costco went public, opening on the NASDAQ at $10 per share.",
        "parties": "Costco"
      },
      {
        "year": "1993-00",
        "event": "Merger with Price Club",
        "quote": "In 1993, Costco and Price Club agreed to merge operations.",
        "parties": "Price Club"
      },
      {
        "year": "1996-00",
        "event": "Headquarters moved to Issaquah, WA",
        "quote": "Costco moved its headquarters from Kirkland to Issaquah in 1996.",
        "parties": "Costco"
      }
    ],
    "name_or_legal_changes": [
      "PriceCostco to Costco in February 1997"
    ],
    "page_is_about_company_history": true
  }

• https://www.businessinsider.com/founding-history-of-costco
  yes · “The company was founded in 1983 by Jim Sinegal and Jeff Brotman, who opened the first Costco warehouse in Seattle, Washington.”
  Extract

  {
    "founders": [
      "Jim Sinegal",
      "Jeff Brotman"
    ],
    "milestones": [
      {
        "year": "1983",
        "event": "Company founded and opened first warehouse in Seattle, Washington",
        "quote": "The company was founded in 1983 by Jim Sinegal and Jeff Brotman, who opened the first Costco warehouse in Seattle, Washington."
      },
      {
        "year": "1985",
        "event": "Costco became a publicly traded company",
        "quote": "Costco became a publicly traded company in 1985, initially offering shares for $10."
      },
      {
        "year": "1993",
        "event": "Price Club and Costco joined forces and began operating as PriceCostco",
        "quote": "In 1993, Price Club and Costco joined forces and began operating as PriceCostco with 206 locations and $16 billion in annual sales."
      },
      {
        "year": "1997",
        "event": "The company reverted to the Costco branding",
        "quote": "The company dropped the awkward PriceCostco branding in 1997 and reverted to Costco."
      },
      {
        "year": "2012",
        "event": "Jim Sinegal retired as CEO",
        "quote": "Sinegal retired as CEO on January 1, 2012, handing the leadership of the company to its head of merchandising, Craig Jelinek."
      },
      {
        "year": "2014",
        "event": "Costco became the third-largest retailer in the world",
        "quote": "Costco became the third-largest retailer in the world in 2014, a ranking it still holds today behind Walmart and Amazon."
      },
      {
        "year": "2023",
        "event": "Costco turned 40 years old",
        "quote": "Costco turned 40 in September 2023 with 838 locations around the world and nearly 129 million membership cardholders."
      },
      {
        "year": "2024",
        "event": "Ron Vachris took over as Costco CEO",
        "quote": "Ron Vachris took over as Costco CEO on January 1, 2024, becoming the third person ever to hold the top job."
      }
    ],
    "founded_year": "1983",
    "ownership_changes": [
      {
        "year": "1993",
        "event": "Costco and Price Club merged into PriceCostco",
        "quote": "In 1993, Price Club and Costco joined forces and began operating as PriceCostco with 206 locations and $16 billion in annual sales.",
        "parties": "Costco and Price Club"
      },
      {
        "year": "1997",
        "event": "Reverted to Costco branding after Price Club merger",
        "quote": "The company dropped the awkward PriceCostco branding in 1997 and reverted to Costco.",
        "parties": null
      },
      {
        "year": "1985",
        "event": "Initial public offering",
        "quote": "Costco became a publicly traded company in 1985, initially offering shares for $10.",
        "parties": null
      }
    ],
    "name_or_legal_changes": [
      "PriceCostco",
      "Costco"
    ],
    "page_is_about_company_history": true
  }

• https://www.costco.com/f/-/company-information
  yes · “In 1983, the first Costco warehouse location was opened in Seattle.”
  Extract

  {
    "founders": [
      "Sol Price",
      "Jim Sinegal",
      "Jeff Brotman"
    ],
    "milestones": [
      {
        "year": "1976",
        "event": "First location opened under Price Club name in San Diego",
        "quote": "The company's first location, opened in 1976 under the Price Club name, was in a converted airplane hangar on Morena Boulevard in San Diego."
      },
      {
        "year": "1983",
        "event": "First Costco warehouse opened in Seattle",
        "quote": "In 1983, the first Costco warehouse location was opened in Seattle."
      },
      {
        "year": "1993",
        "event": "Merger between Costco and Price Club",
        "quote": "When Costco and Price Club merged in 1993, the combined company, operating under the name PriceCostco, had 206 locations generating $16 billion in annual sales."
      },
      {
        "year": "1997",
        "event": "Company resumed the Costco name",
        "quote": "Since resuming the Costco name in 1997, the company has grown worldwide with total sales in recent fiscal years exceeding $192 billion."
      }
    ],
    "founded_year": "1983",
    "ownership_changes": [
      {
        "year": "1993",
        "event": "Merger with Price Club",
        "quote": "When Costco and Price Club merged in 1993, the combined company, operating under the name PriceCostco, had 206 locations generating $16 billion in annual sales.",
        "parties": "Costco, Price Club"
      }
    ],
    "name_or_legal_changes": [
      "Price Club to PriceCostco",
      "PriceCostco to Costco"
    ],
    "page_is_about_company_history": true
  }

• https://www.britannica.com/money/Costco
  yes · “In 1997 the corporate name was changed to Costco Companies, Inc.”
  Extract

  {
    "founders": [
      "Sol Price",
      "James D. Sinegal",
      "Jeffrey H. Brotman"
    ],
    "milestones": [
      {
        "year": "1983",
        "event": "First Costco Wholesale opened in Seattle",
        "quote": "In 1983, Sinegal joined with Jeffrey H. Brotman to open the first Costco Wholesale in Seattle."
      },
      {
        "year": "1993",
        "event": "Merger with Price Company",
        "quote": "In 1993 the Price Company (corporate parent of Price Club) and Costco merged to become PriceCostco."
      },
      {
        "year": "1997",
        "event": "Change to Costco Companies, Inc.",
        "quote": "In 1997 the corporate name was changed to Costco Companies, Inc."
      },
      {
        "year": "1999",
        "event": "Adoption of current name Costco Wholesale Corporation",
        "quote": "In 1999 the present corporate name–Costco Wholesale Corporation—was adopted."
      }
    ],
    "founded_year": "1983",
    "ownership_changes": [
      {
        "year": "1993",
        "event": "Merger with Price Company to become PriceCostco",
        "quote": "In 1993 the Price Company (corporate parent of Price Club) and Costco merged to become PriceCostco.",
        "parties": "Costco, Price Company"
      }
    ],
    "name_or_legal_changes": [
      "PriceCostco (1993)",
      "Costco Companies, Inc. (1997)",
      "Costco Wholesale Corporation (1999)"
    ],
    "page_is_about_company_history": true
  }

• https://investor.costco.com/resources/investor-faqs/default.aspx
  yes · “The Company went public on December 5, 1985 at $10.00 per share (before stock splits).”
  Extract

  {
    "founders": [],
    "milestones": [
      {
        "year": "1985",
        "event": "Initial Public Offering",
        "quote": "The Company went public on December 5, 1985 at $10.00 per share (before stock splits)."
      },
      {
        "year": "1993",
        "event": "Merger with The Price Company",
        "quote": "The ex-dividend date for the merger was October 21, 1993. At that time, a new company was created called PriceCostco, Inc. (ticker symbol PCCW)."
      },
      {
        "year": "1997",
        "event": "Name change to Costco Companies, Inc.",
        "quote": "In February 1997, the Company changed its name from PriceCostco, Inc. to Costco Companies, Inc."
      },
      {
        "year": "1999",
        "event": "Reincorporation and name change to Costco Wholesale Corporation",
        "quote": "Effective August 30, 1999, Costco Companies, Inc. changed its name to Costco Wholesale Corporation and reincorporated from Delaware to Washington."
      }
    ],
    "founded_year": null,
    "ownership_changes": [],
    "name_or_legal_changes": [
      "PriceCostco, Inc. to Costco Companies, Inc.",
      "Costco Companies, Inc. to Costco Wholesale Corporation"
    ],
    "page_is_about_company_history": true
  }

• https://investor.costco.com/stock-info/dividend-history/default.aspx
  no · refused
  Extract

  {
    "founders": [],
    "milestones": [],
    "founded_year": null,
    "ownership_changes": [],
    "name_or_legal_changes": [],
    "page_is_about_company_history": false
  }

• https://thebrandhopper.com/brand/who-owns-costco-ownership-business-model/
  yes · “Costco was founded by Jim Sinegal and Jeffrey Brotman, who opened the first Costco warehouse in Seattle on September 15, 1983.”
  Extract

  {
    "founders": [
      "Jim Sinegal",
      "Jeffrey Brotman"
    ],
    "milestones": [
      {
        "year": "1983-09-15",
        "event": "Opened the first Costco warehouse in Seattle, Washington",
        "quote": "Costco was founded by Jim Sinegal and Jeffrey Brotman, who opened the first Costco warehouse in Seattle on September 15, 1983."
      },
      {
        "year": "1993",
        "event": "Merged with Price Club to form PriceCostco",
        "quote": "In 1993, Costco merged with Price Club — the company that had originally invented the membership-warehouse retail format."
      }
    ],
    "founded_year": "1983",
    "ownership_changes": [
      {
        "year": "1993",
        "event": "Merger with Price Club",
        "quote": "The resulting company, initially named PriceCostco, immediately became the largest operator of its kind in the country.",
        "parties": "Costco and Price Club"
      }
    ],
    "name_or_legal_changes": [
      "PriceCostco (initially after merger)",
      "Costco Wholesale Corporation (later named)"
    ],
    "page_is_about_company_history": true
  }

• https://www.supermarketnews.com/grocery-operations/costco-changing-name-of-price-costco-units
  yes · “changed to Price/Costco after being acquired by Costco three years ago.”
  Extract

  {
    "founders": [],
    "milestones": [
      {
        "year": "1997-03-10",
        "event": "Costco begins changing names of Price/Costco stores to Costco.",
        "quote": "When Price and Costco merged, we continued to maintain separate names on the buildings, although we recognized that at some point we would want to operate under a single name."
      }
    ],
    "founded_year": null,
    "ownership_changes": [
      {
        "year": "1997",
        "event": "Merger with Price Club",
        "quote": "changed to Price/Costco after being acquired by Costco three years ago.",
        "parties": "Costco and Price Club"
      }
    ],
    "name_or_legal_changes": [
      "changed its corporate name from Price/Costco to Costco Cos."
    ],
    "page_is_about_company_history": true
  }

• https://www.thestreet.com/retail/costco-history-timeline
  yes · “Costco buys a logistics supplier, Innovel.”
  Extract

  {
    "founders": [
      "James Sinegal",
      "Jeff Brotman"
    ],
    "milestones": [
      {
        "year": "1983",
        "event": "Costco's first warehouse location opens in Seattle.",
        "quote": "Costco’s first warehouse location opens in Seattle."
      },
      {
        "year": "1993",
        "event": "Costco and Price Club merge, forming PriceCostco.",
        "quote": "Costco and Price Club merge, and the combined company is named PriceCostco."
      },
      {
        "year": "1996",
        "event": "PriceCostco moves its headquarters from Seattle to Issaquah, Washington.",
        "quote": "PriceCostco moves its headquarters from Seattle to present-day Issaquah, Washington."
      },
      {
        "year": "1997",
        "event": "PriceCostco stores begin operating under the shortened Costco name.",
        "quote": "PriceCostco stores begin operating under the shortened Costco name."
      },
      {
        "year": "2009",
        "event": "Costco acquires a logistics supplier, Innovel.",
        "quote": "Costco buys a logistics supplier, Innovel."
      },
      {
        "year": "2024",
        "event": "Ron Vachris becomes Costco's third CEO.",
        "quote": "Ron Vachris, who started as a warehouse forklift operator and rose through the ranks, becomes Costco’s third CEO."
      }
    ],
    "founded_year": "1983",
    "ownership_changes": [
      {
        "year": "1993",
        "event": "Merger with Price Club",
        "quote": "Costco and Price Club merge, and the combined company is named PriceCostco.",
        "parties": "Costco and Price Club"
      }
    ],
    "name_or_legal_changes": [
      "PriceCostco",
      "Costco Companies",
      "Costco Wholesale"
    ],
    "page_is_about_company_history": true
  }

• https://www.foxbusiness.com/retail/history-costco
  yes · “The first store operated under the Costco label was opened in Seattle on Sept. 15, 1983, by Sinegal and another career retailer, Jeff Brotman.”
  Extract

  {
    "founders": [
      "Jim Sinegal",
      "Jeff Brotman"
    ],
    "milestones": [
      {
        "year": "1983",
        "event": "First Costco store opened in Seattle.",
        "quote": "The first store operated under the Costco label was opened in Seattle on Sept. 15, 1983, by Sinegal and another career retailer, Jeff Brotman."
      },
      {
        "year": "1985",
        "event": "Company became publicly traded.",
        "quote": "By 1985, Costco was already being publicly traded - at which point the company was overseeing some 17 warehouses nationwide."
      },
      {
        "year": "1993",
        "event": "Merger with Price Company.",
        "quote": "After the Price Company declined an offer to merge with Sam's Club ... it instead opted to join forces with Costco."
      },
      {
        "year": "1997",
        "event": "Official name change to Costco.",
        "quote": "After testing a simple rebrand to Costco in late 1996, the company officially changed its name the following year."
      }
    ],
    "founded_year": "1983",
    "ownership_changes": [
      {
        "year": "1993",
        "event": "Merger with Price Company to form PriceCostco.",
        "quote": "After the Price Company declined an offer to merge with Sam's Club ... it instead opted to join forces with Costco.",
        "parties": "Costco and Price Company"
      }
    ],
    "name_or_legal_changes": [
      "Price Club to PriceCostco in 1993",
      "PriceCostco to Costco in 1997"
    ],
    "page_is_about_company_history": true
  }

• https://www.costco.com/f/-/connection-fye-history-repeating-august-2022
  no · refused
  Extract

  {
    "founders": [],
    "milestones": [],
    "founded_year": null,
    "ownership_changes": [],
    "name_or_legal_changes": [],
    "page_is_about_company_history": false
  }

Not fetched (26). Same manifest. Not opened.

• https://customerservice.costco.com/app/answers/list/kw/purchase%20history/page/4
• https://customerservice.costco.com/app/answers/answer_view/a_id/1158/~/where-can-i-find-my-costco.com-order-history%3F
• https://www.costco.com/f/-/connection-ss-weaving-through-history-february-2023
• https://rx.costco.com/account/immunizations
• https://investor.costco.com/overview/default.aspx
• https://investor.costco.com/governance/committee-composition/default.aspx
• https://rx.costco.com/help
• https://customerservice.costco.com/app/answers/answer_view/a_id/1015802/~/costco-wallet-faqs
• https://www.costco.com/f/-/connection-ss-out-of-the-shadows-november-2022
• https://www.costco.com/f/-/our-values
• https://www.costco.com/f/-/fisheries-aquaculture
• https://careers.costco.com
• https://careers.costco.com/culture-and-values
• http://www.costco.com/connection-costco-life-april-2022.html
• https://www.costco.com
• https://www.costco.com/f/-/connection-ss-quality-coating-october-2023
• https://www.costco.com/f/-/sustainability
• https://login.costco.com/as/authorization.oauth2
• https://www.costco.com/p/-/stash-tea-variety-pack-180-count/100409667
• https://investor.costco.com/events-and-presentations/events/event-details/2026/September-Sales-Results-2026-Mh2CJhj3RL/default.aspx
• https://www.costco.com/p/-/kirkland-signature-chicken-and-rice-cat-food-25-lbs/100334973
• https://www.costco.com/f/-/warehouse-refer-a-friend
• https://www.costco.com/warehouse-locations/-48.html
• https://investor.costco.com/resources/investor-contacts/default.aspx
• https://www.costco.com/p/-/henckels-paradigm-ceramic-11-piece-cookware-set/4000394757
• https://www.costco.com/p/-/microsoft-365-family-with-copilot-12-month-subscription-up-to-6-people-e-delivery/4201006373