Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) vs Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB)
A side-by-side comparison of Costco Wholesale Corporation and Kimberly-Clark Corporation across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of September 11, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
COST
Costco Wholesale Corporation
$904.77Consumer DefensiveDelayed quote: Sep 11, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
KMB
Kimberly-Clark Corporation
$98.15Consumer DefensiveDelayed quote: Sep 11, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
Total return — COST vs KMB
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 10yCOST +528.3% (+20.2%/yr)KMB +15.5% (+1.4%/yr)COST compounded faster over this window
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
COST KMB
COST vs KMB: by the numbers
- •COST is the larger company ($401.25B vs $32.58B market cap).
- •KMB trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (16.69 vs 45.51 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •KMB converts more revenue to profit (11.80% vs 3.01% net margin).
- •COST grew revenue faster over the past five years (9.48% vs -2.69% CAGR).
- •KMB pays the higher dividend yield (5.18% vs 0.61%).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | COST | KMB |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 45.51 | 16.69 |
| Forward P/E | 39.92 | 13.18 |
| P/S ratio | 1.37 | 1.97 |
| P/B ratio | 11.97 | 18.62 |
| EV / EBITDA | 28.32 | 14.44 |
| FCF yield | 2.19% | 5.40% |
Profitability
| Metric | COST | KMB |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 12.88% | 36.69% |
| Operating margin | 3.82% | 12.38% |
| Net margin | 3.01% | 11.80% |
| ROE | 26.38% | 111.71% |
| ROIC | 19.01% | 12.46% |
Dividends
| Metric | COST | KMB |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.61% | 5.18% |
| Payout ratio | 27.87% | 86.73% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | COST | KMB |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 9.48% | -2.69% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 15.04% | -2.50% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 4.95% | -8.19% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 14.89% | -2.69% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, COST or KMB?
- KMB has the lower trailing P/E: COST trades at 45.51 and KMB at 16.69. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
- Which has grown faster, COST or KMB?
- Over the past five years, COST grew revenue faster — COST at a 9.48% CAGR versus KMB at -2.69%.
- Does COST or KMB pay a bigger dividend?
- COST yields 0.61% and KMB yields 5.18% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is COST or KMB more profitable?
- KMB runs the higher net margin — COST at 3.01% versus KMB at 11.80%.
- How have COST and KMB total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, COST delivered 20.56% and KMB delivered 1.35% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Costco Wholesale P/E ratioKimberly-Clark P/E ratioCostco Wholesale dividend yieldKimberly-Clark dividend yieldCostco Wholesale ROEKimberly-Clark ROECostco Wholesale operating marginKimberly-Clark operating marginCostco Wholesale revenue growthKimberly-Clark revenue growthCostco Wholesale free cash flowKimberly-Clark free cash flow
Costco Wholesale & Kimberly-Clark 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 September 11, 2026.