Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) vs Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSM)
TSM leads on 14 of 16 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Costco Wholesale Corporation and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 13, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
COST
Costco Wholesale Corporation
$982.35Consumer Defensive
TSM
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
$423.93Technology
Total return — COST vs TSM
growth of $100 · last 29yCOST +4987.3%TSM +7621.9%TSM compounded faster
COST TSM
COST vs TSM: by the numbers
- •TSM is the larger company ($2.20T vs $435.65B market cap).
- •TSM trades at the lower earnings multiple (35.24 vs 49.41 P/E).
- •TSM converts more revenue to profit (46.90% vs 3.01% net margin).
- •TSM grew revenue faster over the past five years (22.49% vs 9.48% CAGR).
- •TSM pays the higher dividend yield (0.83% vs 0.55%).
Which is better, COST or TSM?
Metric tally: COST 2 · TSM 14It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueTSM(lower P/E)
GrowthTSM(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeTSM(higher dividend yield)
QualityTSM(higher ROIC)
Valuation
| Metric | COST | TSM |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 49.41 | 35.24● |
| Forward P/E | 43.40 | — |
| P/S ratio | 1.49● | 16.45 |
| P/B ratio | 13.03 | 11.92● |
| PEG ratio | 5.23 | 0.64● |
| EV / EBITDA | 29.43 | 20.78● |
| FCF yield | 2.02%● | 1.62% |
Profitability
| Metric | COST | TSM |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 12.88% | 61.78%● |
| Operating margin | 3.82% | 53.15%● |
| Net margin | 3.01% | 46.90%● |
| ROE | 26.38% | 33.98%● |
| ROIC | 19.44% | 25.10%● |
Dividends
| Metric | COST | TSM |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.55% | 0.83%● |
| Payout ratio | 29.44% | 33.09% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | COST | TSM |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 9.48% | 22.49%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 15.04% | 25.67%● |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 4.95% | 30.09%● |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 21.56% | 30.87%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, COST or TSM?
- It depends on your goal. value: TSM (lower P/E); growth: TSM (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: TSM (higher dividend yield); quality: TSM (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, TSM leads 14 to 2.
- Is COST or TSM cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, TSM is cheaper: COST trades at a 49.41 P/E and TSM at 35.24.
- Which has grown faster, COST or TSM?
- Over the past five years, TSM grew revenue faster — COST at a 9.48% CAGR versus TSM at 22.49%.
- Does COST or TSM pay a bigger dividend?
- COST yields 0.55% and TSM yields 0.83% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is COST or TSM more profitable?
- TSM runs the higher net margin — COST at 3.01% versus TSM at 46.90%.
- Which has been the better investment, COST or TSM?
- Over the past 10-year, TSM delivered the higher annualized total return — COST at 21.26% versus TSM at 35.19%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Costco Wholesale P/E ratioTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing P/E ratioCostco Wholesale dividend yieldTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing dividend yieldCostco Wholesale ROETaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing ROECostco Wholesale operating marginTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing operating marginCostco Wholesale revenue growthTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing revenue growthCostco Wholesale free cash flowTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing free cash flow
Costco Wholesale & Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing 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 June 13, 2026.