Costco Wholesale (COST) vs Dollar General (DG)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 7, 2026.
Summary
Dollar General (DG) has outperformed Costco Wholesale (COST) over the past year, gaining 28.6% versus a gain of 3.5%. Over five years, COST leads with a +109.3% price change compared with -41.7% for DG. Costco Wholesale is the larger company by market cap ($417.67 billion vs $26.95 billion), about 15.5 times the size.
On valuation, Dollar General trades at a lower forward P/E (14.7x vs 37.7x for Costco Wholesale). Dollar General pays a dividend yielding 1.93%, while Costco Wholesale does not currently pay one. Dollar General converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 3.5% 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 | COST | DG |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $942.25 | $122.14 |
| Market cap | $417.67B | $26.95B |
| 1-day change | +0.70% | -0.92% |
| YTD return | +9.79% | -6.63% |
| 1-year return | +3.49% | +28.64% |
| 5-year return | +109.28% | -41.74% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 45.39 | 15.86 |
| Forward P/E | 37.69 | 14.70 |
| EPS (TTM) | $20.76 | $7.70 |
| Dividend yield | 0.63% | 1.93% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $2.36 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $303.15B | $42.72B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +10.14% | +5.20% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $9.23B | $1.51B |
| Gross margin | 12.82% | 30.66% |
| Operating margin | 3.85% | 5.16% |
| Net margin | 3.04% | 3.54% |
| 52-week high | $1,096.50 | $158.23 |
| 52-week low | $844.06 | $95.11 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -14.07% | -22.81% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +12.28% | +15.81% |
| Average volume | 2.11M | 2.40M |
| Shares outstanding | 443.27M | 220.62M |
| Employees | — | 194,000 |
| Sector | Consumer Defensive | Consumer Defensive |
| Industry | Discount Stores | Discount 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 15.5 times larger than Dollar General by market value ($417.67B vs $26.95B).
- DG has outperformed COST by 25.1 percentage points over the past year.
- Costco Wholesale trades at a higher earnings multiple (45.4x vs 15.9x trailing P/E).
- Dollar General offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (1.93% vs 0.63%).
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 Defensive · Discount Stores
About Dollar General
DG stock →Dollar General Corporation, a discount retailer, provides various merchandise products in the southern, southwestern, midwestern, and eastern United States. It offers consumable products, including paper towels, bath tissues, paper dinnerware, trash and storage bags, disinfectants, and laundry products; packaged food, such as cereals, pasta, canned soups, canned meats, fruits and vegetables, condiments, spices, sugar, and flour; and perishables, including milk, eggs, bread, refrigerated and frozen food, beer, wine, and produce; candy, cookies, crackers, salty snacks, and carbonated beverages; over-the-counter medicines and personal care products including soap, body wash, shampoo, cosmetics, dental hygiene and foot care products; pet supplies and pet food; and tobacco products.
Consumer Defensive · Discount Stores · 194,000 employees
COST vs DG FAQ
Which is bigger, Costco Wholesale or Dollar General?
Costco Wholesale (COST) is larger, with a market capitalization of $417.67B compared with $26.95B for Dollar General (DG).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, COST or DG?
DG returned +28.64% over the past 12 months, compared with +3.49% for COST (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, COST or DG?
DG has the lower trailing P/E at 15.9, versus 45.4 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, Costco Wholesale or Dollar General?
Dollar General has the higher yield at 1.93%, compared with 0.63% for Costco Wholesale.
Are Costco Wholesale and Dollar General in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Discount Stores industry within the Consumer Defensive sector.