Costco Wholesale (COST) vs Macy's (M)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Macy's (M) has outperformed Costco Wholesale (COST) over the past year, gaining 28.6% versus a gain of 3.6%. Over five years, COST leads with a +108.3% price change compared with -5.2% for M. Costco Wholesale is the larger company by market cap ($420.05 billion vs $5.95 billion), about 70.6 times the size.
On valuation, Macy's trades at a lower forward P/E (9.5x vs 37.9x for Costco Wholesale). Macy's offers the higher dividend yield (3.28% vs 0.58%). Costco Wholesale converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 3.0% versus 2.8%.
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 | M |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $947.92 | $22.79 |
| Market cap | $420.05B | $5.95B |
| 1-day change | +0.60% | 0.00% |
| YTD return | +9.92% | +3.36% |
| 1-year return | +3.62% | +28.61% |
| 5-year return | +108.28% | -5.20% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 45.66 | 8.35 |
| Forward P/E | 37.92 | 9.53 |
| EPS (TTM) | $20.76 | $2.73 |
| Dividend yield | 0.58% | 3.28% |
| Annual dividend | $5.54 | $0.748 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $303.15B | $22.62B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +10.14% | -1.67% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $9.23B | $642.00M |
| Gross margin | 12.82% | 40.33% |
| Operating margin | 3.85% | 4.55% |
| Net margin | 3.04% | 2.84% |
| 52-week high | $1,096.50 | $26.59 |
| 52-week low | $844.06 | $16.41 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -13.55% | -14.29% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | hold |
| Avg. price target upside | +11.61% | +2.50% |
| Average volume | 2.11M | 5.75M |
| Shares outstanding | 443.13M | 261.18M |
| Employees | — | 90,134 |
| 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 70.6 times larger than Macy's by market value ($420.05B vs $5.95B).
- M has outperformed COST by 25.0 percentage points over the past year.
- Costco Wholesale trades at a higher earnings multiple (45.7x vs 8.3x trailing P/E).
- Macy's offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (3.28% vs 0.58%).
- Costco Wholesale grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+10.14% vs -1.67%).
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
About Macy's
M stock →Macy's, Inc., an omni-channel retail organization, operates stores, websites, and mobile applications in the United States. The company sells various merchandise, such as apparel and accessories for men, women, and kids; cosmetics; home furnishings; and other consumer goods under the Macy's, Bloomingdale's, and Bluemercury brands.
Consumer Discretionary · Department/Specialty Retail Stores · 90,134 employees
COST vs M FAQ
Which is bigger, Costco Wholesale or Macy's?
Costco Wholesale (COST) is larger, with a market capitalization of $420.05B compared with $5.95B for Macy's (M).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, COST or M?
M returned +28.61% over the past 12 months, compared with +3.62% for COST (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, COST or M?
M has the lower trailing P/E at 8.3, 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, Costco Wholesale or Macy's?
Macy's has the higher yield at 3.28%, compared with 0.58% for Costco Wholesale.
Are Costco Wholesale and Macy's in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Department/Specialty Retail Stores industry within the Consumer Discretionary sector.