Galanti said Costco's third-quarter effective U.S. tax rate was 28.8 percent down from what would have been a rate of 35.3 percent a year earlier, but for an $82 million tax benefit the company realized as part of a $7 a share special dividend. Galanti said he expects Costco's tax rate in its 2019 fiscal year to be about 28 percent. The tax cut will save Costco in the low $300 million range a year, Galanti said. "I don't think it's been life-changing for any company," he said, noting that the cost of the company's special dividends has been in the range of $2 billion to $3 billion. Costco continues to return cash to shareholders through stock repurchases totaling $55 million in the third quarter and dividends. The company announced a quarterly dividend of 57 cents a share in April, up from the 50 cent per share dividends it had issued each of the previous four quarters.