Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) vs Walmart Inc. (WMT)
A side-by-side comparison of Costco Wholesale Corporation and Walmart Inc. 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
WMT
Walmart Inc.
$113.10Consumer DefensiveDelayed quote: Jul 28, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
Total return — COST vs WMT
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 30yCOST +11175.1%WMT +4540.3%COST compounded faster
COST WMT
COST vs WMT: by the numbers
- •WMT is the larger company ($900.06B vs $428.66B market cap).
- •WMT trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (39.21 vs 47.87 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •WMT converts more revenue to profit (3.13% vs 3.01% net margin).
- •COST grew revenue faster over the past five years (9.48% vs 5.20% CAGR).
- •WMT pays the higher dividend yield (0.86% vs 0.56%).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | COST | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 47.87 | 39.21 |
| Forward P/E | 46.33 | 42.36 |
| P/S ratio | 1.44 | 1.23 |
| P/B ratio | 12.62 | 9.48 |
| PEG ratio | 5.23 | 3.29 |
| EV / EBITDA | 29.89 | 21.35 |
| FCF yield | 2.08% | 1.40% |
Profitability
| Metric | COST | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 12.88% | 24.98% |
| Operating margin | 3.82% | 4.16% |
| Net margin | 3.01% | 3.13% |
| ROE | 26.38% | 24.10% |
| ROIC | 19.44% | 11.87% |
Dividends
| Metric | COST | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.56% | 0.86% |
| Payout ratio | 29.44% | 35.22% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | COST | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 9.48% | 5.20% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 15.04% | 10.95% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 4.95% | -9.94% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 18.31% | 20.16% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, COST or WMT?
- WMT has the lower trailing P/E: COST trades at 47.87 and WMT at 39.21. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
- Which has grown faster, COST or WMT?
- Over the past five years, COST grew revenue faster — COST at a 9.48% CAGR versus WMT at 5.20%.
- Does COST or WMT pay a bigger dividend?
- COST yields 0.56% and WMT yields 0.86% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is COST or WMT more profitable?
- WMT runs the higher net margin — COST at 3.01% versus WMT at 3.13%.
- How have COST and WMT total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, COST delivered 20.06% and WMT delivered 18.43% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Costco Wholesale P/E ratioWalmart P/E ratioCostco Wholesale dividend yieldWalmart dividend yieldCostco Wholesale ROEWalmart ROECostco Wholesale operating marginWalmart operating marginCostco Wholesale revenue growthWalmart revenue growthCostco Wholesale free cash flowWalmart free cash flow
Costco Wholesale & Walmart 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 July 28, 2026.