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 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
KO
The Coca-Cola Company
$88.29Consumer DefensiveDelayed quote: Sep 11, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
Total return — COST vs KO
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 10yCOST +544.2% (+20.5%/yr)KO +182.8% (+11.0%/yr)COST compounded faster over this window
COST KO
COST vs KO: by the numbers
- •COST is the larger company ($401.25B vs $379.87B market cap).
- •KO trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (26.51 vs 45.51 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •KO converts more revenue to profit (28.56% vs 3.01% net margin).
- •COST grew revenue faster over the past five years (9.48% vs 6.60% CAGR).
- •KO pays the higher dividend yield (2.37% vs 0.61%).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | COST | KO |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 45.51 | 26.51 |
| Forward P/E | 39.92 | 26.71 |
| P/S ratio | 1.37 | 7.58 |
| P/B ratio | 11.97 | 10.51 |
| EV / EBITDA | 28.32 | 25.84 |
| FCF yield | 2.19% | 3.76% |
Profitability
| Metric | COST | KO |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 12.88% | 61.89% |
| Operating margin | 3.82% | 29.63% |
| Net margin | 3.01% | 28.56% |
| ROE | 26.38% | 39.60% |
| ROIC | 19.01% | 13.91% |
Dividends
| Metric | COST | KO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.61% | 2.37% |
| Payout ratio | 27.87% | 62.46% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | COST | KO |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 9.48% | 6.60% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 15.04% | 11.12% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 4.95% | -9.38% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 14.89% | 12.87% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, COST or KO?
- KO has the lower trailing P/E: COST trades at 45.51 and KO at 26.51. 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 6.60%.
- Does COST or KO pay a bigger dividend?
- COST yields 0.61% and KO yields 2.37% 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 28.56%.
- How have COST and KO total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, COST delivered 20.56% and KO delivered 11.00% 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
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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.