Costco Wholesale (COST) vs Walmart (WMT)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 7, 2026.
Summary
Walmart (WMT) has outperformed Costco Wholesale (COST) over the past year, gaining 4.8% versus a gain of 3.0%. Over five years, WMT leads with a +130.9% price change compared with +108.3% for COST. Walmart is the larger company by market cap ($860.75 billion vs $417.67 billion), about 2.1 times the size, while Costco Wholesale is growing revenue faster (+10.1% vs +4.7%).
On valuation, Walmart trades at a lower forward P/E (33.5x vs 37.7x for Costco Wholesale). Walmart pays a dividend yielding 0.89%, while Costco Wholesale does not currently pay one. Walmart converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 3.1% 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 | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $942.25 | $108.16 |
| Market cap | $417.67B | $860.75B |
| 1-day change | +0.70% | +0.90% |
| YTD return | +9.27% | -2.92% |
| 1-year return | +3.00% | +4.77% |
| 5-year return | +108.28% | +130.86% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 45.39 | 38.35 |
| Forward P/E | 37.69 | 33.54 |
| EPS (TTM) | $20.76 | $2.82 |
| Dividend yield | 0.63% | 0.89% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.965 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $303.15B | $713.16B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +10.14% | +4.73% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $9.23B | $21.89B |
| Gross margin | 12.82% | 24.93% |
| Operating margin | 3.85% | 4.18% |
| Net margin | 3.04% | 3.07% |
| 52-week high | $1,096.50 | $135.16 |
| 52-week low | $844.06 | $98.88 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -14.07% | -19.98% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +12.28% | +17.22% |
| Average volume | 2.11M | 23.68M |
| Shares outstanding | 443.27M | 7.96B |
| Employees | — | 2,100,000 |
| 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
- Walmart is about 2.1 times larger than Costco Wholesale by market value ($860.75B vs $417.67B).
- Costco Wholesale grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+10.14% vs +4.73%).
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 Walmart
WMT stock →Walmart Inc. engages in the operation of retail and wholesale stores and clubs, ecommerce websites, and mobile applications worldwide.
Consumer Discretionary · Department/Specialty Retail Stores · 2,100,000 employees
COST vs WMT FAQ
Which is bigger, Costco Wholesale or Walmart?
Walmart (WMT) is larger, with a market capitalization of $860.75B compared with $417.67B for Costco Wholesale (COST).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, COST or WMT?
WMT returned +4.77% 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, COST or WMT?
WMT has the lower trailing P/E at 38.4, 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 Walmart?
Walmart has the higher yield at 0.89%, compared with 0.63% for Costco Wholesale.
Are Costco Wholesale and Walmart in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Department/Specialty Retail Stores industry within the Consumer Discretionary sector.