Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK.B) vs Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST)
A side-by-side comparison of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. 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: BRK.B is classified in Financial Services; COST is classified in Consumer Defensive. Margin, capital intensity, and valuation differences should be interpreted in that sector context.
BRK.B
Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
$512.37Financial 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 — BRK.B vs COST
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 30yBRK.B +2314.3%COST +11175.1%COST compounded faster
BRK.B COST
BRK.B vs COST: by the numbers
- •BRK.B is the larger company ($1.11T vs $428.66B market cap).
- •BRK.B trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (14.80 vs 47.87 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •BRK.B converts more revenue to profit (19.31% vs 3.01% net margin).
- •COST grew revenue faster over the past five years (9.48% vs 8.57% CAGR).
- •COST pays a dividend (0.56% yield), while BRK.B has no payments in the available dividend history.
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | BRK.B | COST |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 14.80 | 47.87 |
| Forward P/E | 23.89 | 46.33 |
| P/S ratio | 2.86 | 1.44 |
| P/B ratio | 1.47 | 12.62 |
| PEG ratio | 1.26 | 5.23 |
| EV / EBITDA | N/A | 29.89 |
| FCF yield | N/A | 2.08% |
Profitability
| Metric | BRK.B | COST |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 25.14% | 12.88% |
| Operating margin | 16.06% | 3.82% |
| Net margin | 19.31% | 3.01% |
| ROE | 9.97% | 26.38% |
| ROIC | 4.12% | 19.44% |
Dividends
| Metric | BRK.B | COST |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | N/A | 0.56% |
| Payout ratio | N/A | 29.44% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | BRK.B | COST |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 8.57% | 9.48% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 11.79% | 15.04% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | N/A | 4.95% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 12.93% | 18.31% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, BRK.B or COST?
- BRK.B has the lower trailing P/E: BRK.B trades at 14.80 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, BRK.B or COST?
- Over the past five years, COST grew revenue faster — BRK.B at a 8.57% CAGR versus COST at 9.48%.
- Does BRK.B or COST pay a bigger dividend?
- COST pays a dividend (0.56% yield), while BRK.B has no payments in the available dividend history.
- Is BRK.B or COST more profitable?
- BRK.B runs the higher net margin — BRK.B at 19.31% versus COST at 3.01%.
- How have BRK.B and COST total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, BRK.B delivered 13.47% and COST delivered 20.06% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Berkshire Hathaway P/E ratioCostco Wholesale P/E ratioBerkshire Hathaway dividend yieldCostco Wholesale dividend yieldBerkshire Hathaway ROECostco Wholesale ROEBerkshire Hathaway operating marginCostco Wholesale operating marginBerkshire Hathaway revenue growthCostco Wholesale revenue growthBerkshire Hathaway free cash flowCostco Wholesale free cash flow
Berkshire Hathaway & 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.