Burlington Stores (BURL) vs Costco Wholesale (COST)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Burlington Stores (BURL) has outperformed Costco Wholesale (COST) over the past year, gaining 4.9% versus a gain of 3.0%. Over five years, COST leads with a +108.3% price change compared with +1.3% for BURL. Costco Wholesale is the larger company by market cap ($420.47 billion vs $17.13 billion), about 24.5 times the size.
On valuation, Burlington Stores trades at a lower forward P/E (19.9x vs 38.0x for Costco Wholesale). Costco Wholesale pays a dividend yielding 0.58%, while Burlington Stores does not currently pay one. Burlington Stores converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 5.3% versus 3.0%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | BURL | COST |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $272.78 | $948.86 |
| Market cap | $17.13B | $420.47B |
| 1-day change | +0.08% | +0.70% |
| YTD return | -5.64% | +9.27% |
| 1-year return | +4.87% | +3.00% |
| 5-year return | +1.35% | +108.28% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 24.51 | 45.71 |
| Forward P/E | 19.94 | 37.95 |
| EPS (TTM) | $11.13 | $20.76 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.58% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $5.54 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $11.57B | $303.15B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +8.76% | +10.14% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $610.15M | $9.23B |
| Gross margin | 43.92% | 12.82% |
| Operating margin | — | 3.85% |
| Net margin | 5.27% | 3.04% |
| 52-week high | $378.33 | $1,096.50 |
| 52-week low | $226.85 | $844.06 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -27.90% | -13.46% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +33.72% | +11.50% |
| Average volume | 1.24M | 2.11M |
| Shares outstanding | 62.82M | 443.13M |
| Employees | 17,495 | — |
| Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Consumer Discretionary |
| Industry | Department/Specialty Retail Stores | Department/Specialty Retail Stores |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Costco Wholesale is about 24.5 times larger than Burlington Stores by market value ($420.47B vs $17.13B).
- Costco Wholesale trades at a higher earnings multiple (45.7x vs 24.5x trailing P/E).
About Burlington Stores
BURL stock →Burlington Stores, Inc. operates as a retailer of branded merchandise in the United States and Puerto Rico.
Consumer Discretionary · Department/Specialty Retail Stores · 17,495 employees
About Costco Wholesale
COST stock →Costco Wholesale Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the operation of membership warehouses in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Japan, the United Kingdom, Korea, Australia, Taiwan, China, Spain, France, Iceland, New Zealand, and Sweden. It offers merchandise, including sundries, dry groceries, candies, coolers, freezers, deli, liquor, and tobacco; non-food merchandise comprising appliances, small electronics, health and beauty aids, hardware, lawn and garden, sporting goods, tires, toys and seasonal, automotive, stamps, tickets, apparel, furniture, domestics, housewares, special order kiosks, and jewelry; and fresh food, such as meat, produce, service deli, and bakery products.
Consumer Discretionary · Department/Specialty Retail Stores
BURL vs COST FAQ
Which is bigger, Burlington Stores or Costco Wholesale?
Costco Wholesale (COST) is larger, with a market capitalization of $420.47B compared with $17.13B for Burlington Stores (BURL).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, BURL or COST?
BURL returned +4.87% over the past 12 months, compared with +3.00% for COST (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, BURL or COST?
BURL has the lower trailing P/E at 24.5, versus 45.7 for COST. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, Burlington Stores or Costco Wholesale?
Costco Wholesale pays a dividend yielding 0.58%, while Burlington Stores does not currently pay a regular dividend.
Are Burlington Stores and Costco Wholesale in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Department/Specialty Retail Stores industry within the Consumer Discretionary sector.