Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) vs Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST)
A side-by-side comparison of Colgate-Palmolive Company and Costco Wholesale Corporation across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of July 31, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
CL
Colgate-Palmolive Company
$91.30Consumer DefensiveDelayed quote: Jul 31, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
COST
Costco Wholesale Corporation
$951.89Consumer DefensiveAt close: Jul 31, 2026, 4:00 PM ET
Total return — CL vs COST
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 30yCL +1645.6%COST +11886.5%COST compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
CL COST
CL vs COST: by the numbers
- •COST is the larger company ($422.14B vs $73.06B market cap).
- •CL trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (36.17 vs 47.88 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •CL converts more revenue to profit (9.68% vs 3.01% net margin).
- •COST grew revenue faster over the past five years (9.48% vs 4.26% CAGR).
- •CL pays the higher dividend yield (2.29% vs 0.56%).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | CL | COST |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 36.17 | 47.88 |
| Forward P/E | 23.98 | 46.34 |
| P/S ratio | 3.50 | 1.44 |
| P/B ratio | 311.74 | 12.62 |
| PEG ratio | N/A | 5.23 |
| EV / EBITDA | 16.56 | 29.90 |
| FCF yield | 5.24% | 2.08% |
Profitability
| Metric | CL | COST |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 60.42% | 12.88% |
| Operating margin | 20.65% | 3.82% |
| Net margin | 9.68% | 3.01% |
| ROE | 863.14% | 26.38% |
| ROIC | 30.34% | 19.44% |
Dividends
| Metric | CL | COST |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 2.29% | 0.56% |
| Payout ratio | 79.17% | 29.44% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | CL | COST |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 4.26% | 9.48% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | -3.47% | 15.04% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 7.70% | 4.95% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 5.27% | 17.97% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, CL or COST?
- CL has the lower trailing P/E: CL trades at 36.17 and COST at 47.88. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
- Which has grown faster, CL or COST?
- Over the past five years, COST grew revenue faster — CL at a 4.26% CAGR versus COST at 9.48%.
- Does CL or COST pay a bigger dividend?
- CL yields 2.29% and COST yields 0.56% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is CL or COST more profitable?
- CL runs the higher net margin — CL at 9.68% versus COST at 3.01%.
- How have CL and COST total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, CL delivered 4.50% and COST delivered 19.98% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Colgate-Palmolive P/E ratioCostco Wholesale P/E ratioColgate-Palmolive dividend yieldCostco Wholesale dividend yieldColgate-Palmolive ROECostco Wholesale ROEColgate-Palmolive operating marginCostco Wholesale operating marginColgate-Palmolive revenue growthCostco Wholesale revenue growthColgate-Palmolive free cash flowCostco Wholesale free cash flow
Colgate-Palmolive & 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 31, 2026.