Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) vs The Coca-Cola Company (KO)
A side-by-side comparison of Costco Wholesale Corporation and The Coca-Cola Company 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.
COST
Costco Wholesale Corporation
$966.58Consumer DefensiveDelayed quote: Jul 28, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
KO
The Coca-Cola Company
$88.27Consumer DefensiveDelayed quote: Jul 28, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
Total return — COST vs KO
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 30yCOST +11175.1%KO +665.6%COST compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
COST KO
COST vs KO: by the numbers
- •COST is the larger company ($428.66B vs $379.78B market cap).
- •KO trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (26.44 vs 47.87 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •KO converts more revenue to profit (27.80% vs 3.01% net margin).
- •COST grew revenue faster over the past five years (9.48% vs 8.07% CAGR).
- •KO pays the higher dividend yield (2.47% vs 0.56%).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | COST | KO |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 47.87 | 26.44 |
| Forward P/E | 46.33 | 25.72 |
| P/S ratio | 1.44 | 7.36 |
| P/B ratio | 12.62 | 10.78 |
| PEG ratio | 5.23 | 0.98 |
| EV / EBITDA | 29.89 | 25.53 |
| FCF yield | 2.08% | 3.46% |
Profitability
| Metric | COST | KO |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 12.88% | 61.74% |
| Operating margin | 3.82% | 29.34% |
| Net margin | 3.01% | 27.80% |
| ROE | 26.38% | 40.74% |
| ROIC | 19.44% | 13.00% |
Dividends
| Metric | COST | KO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.56% | 2.47% |
| Payout ratio | 29.44% | 68.20% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | COST | KO |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 9.48% | 8.07% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 15.04% | 11.12% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 4.95% | -9.38% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 18.31% | 11.23% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, COST or KO?
- KO has the lower trailing P/E: COST trades at 47.87 and KO at 26.44. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
- Which has grown faster, COST or KO?
- Over the past five years, COST grew revenue faster — COST at a 9.48% CAGR versus KO at 8.07%.
- Does COST or KO pay a bigger dividend?
- COST yields 0.56% and KO yields 2.47% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is COST or KO more profitable?
- KO runs the higher net margin — COST at 3.01% versus KO at 27.80%.
- How have COST and KO total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, COST delivered 20.06% and KO delivered 10.23% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Costco Wholesale P/E ratioCoca-Cola P/E ratioCostco Wholesale dividend yieldCoca-Cola dividend yieldCostco Wholesale ROECoca-Cola ROECostco Wholesale operating marginCoca-Cola operating marginCostco Wholesale revenue growthCoca-Cola revenue growthCostco Wholesale free cash flowCoca-Cola free cash flow
Costco Wholesale & Coca-Cola appear in these rankings
Related comparisons
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.