Bank of America Corporation (BAC) vs Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST)
A side-by-side comparison of Bank of America Corporation and Costco Wholesale Corporation across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of July 28, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
Different business models: BAC is classified in Financial Services; COST is classified in Consumer Defensive. Margin, capital intensity, and valuation differences should be interpreted in that sector context.
BAC
Bank of America Corporation
$62.62Financial ServicesDelayed quote: Jul 28, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
COST
Costco Wholesale Corporation
$966.58Consumer DefensiveDelayed quote: Jul 28, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
Total return — BAC vs COST
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 30yBAC +539.7%COST +11175.1%COST compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
BAC COST
BAC vs COST: by the numbers
- •BAC is the larger company ($444.39B vs $428.66B market cap).
- •BAC trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (14.32 vs 47.87 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •BAC converts more revenue to profit (18.95% vs 3.01% net margin).
- •BAC grew revenue faster over the past five years (14.65% vs 9.48% CAGR).
- •BAC pays the higher dividend yield (1.80% vs 0.56%).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | BAC | COST |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 14.32 | 47.87 |
| Forward P/E | 13.44 | 46.33 |
| P/S ratio | 2.55 | 1.44 |
| P/B ratio | 1.51 | 12.62 |
| PEG ratio | 0.73 | 5.23 |
| EV / EBITDA | N/A | 29.89 |
| FCF yield | N/A | 2.08% |
Profitability
| Metric | BAC | COST |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 56.08% | 12.88% |
| Operating margin | 24.70% | 3.82% |
| Net margin | 18.95% | 3.01% |
| ROE | 11.18% | 26.38% |
| ROIC | 3.39% | 19.44% |
Dividends
| Metric | BAC | COST |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 1.80% | 0.56% |
| Payout ratio | 28.87% | 29.44% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | BAC | COST |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 14.65% | 9.48% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 15.60% | 15.04% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | N/A | 4.95% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 13.03% | 18.31% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, BAC or COST?
- BAC has the lower trailing P/E: BAC trades at 14.32 and COST at 47.87. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
- Which has grown faster, BAC or COST?
- Over the past five years, BAC grew revenue faster — BAC at a 14.65% CAGR versus COST at 9.48%.
- Does BAC or COST pay a bigger dividend?
- BAC yields 1.80% and COST yields 0.56% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is BAC or COST more profitable?
- BAC runs the higher net margin — BAC at 18.95% versus COST at 3.01%.
- How have BAC and COST total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, BAC delivered 18.14% and COST delivered 20.06% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Bank of America P/E ratioCostco Wholesale P/E ratioBank of America dividend yieldCostco Wholesale dividend yieldBank of America ROECostco Wholesale ROEBank of America operating marginCostco Wholesale operating marginBank of America revenue growthCostco Wholesale revenue growthBank of America free cash flowCostco Wholesale free cash flow
Bank of America & Costco Wholesale appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified July 28, 2026.