COST vs WMT: Stock Comparison
Costco Wholesale Corporation compared with Walmart Inc.: size, valuation, growth, margins, dividends and returns.
COST vs WMT at a Glance
As of Nov 6, 2026, Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) has a market capitalization of $468.16B versus $1.00T for Walmart Inc. (WMT). Both companies are classified in the Discount Stores industry.
COST trades at 50.7x trailing and 43.1x forward earnings, compared with 45.4x trailing and 42.4x forward earnings for WMT as of Nov 6, 2026. Over the trailing twelve months, revenue grew 10.1% at COST and 6.2% at WMT, operating margins were 3.9% and 4.4%, and net profit margins 3.0% and 3.0%.
As of Nov 6, 2026, COST has a dividend yield of 0.54% and WMT 0.81%. Over the past year COST shares changed +8.08% versus +13.34% for WMT (price change, dividends excluded).
Key Figures Side by Side
| Metric | COST | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $468.16B | $1.00T |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 50.74 | 45.36 |
| Forward P/E | 43.06 | 42.43 |
| Revenue growth (TTM, YoY) | 10.14% | 6.16% |
| Gross margin (TTM) | 12.82% | 25.23% |
| Operating margin (TTM) | 3.85% | 4.39% |
| Net profit margin (TTM) | 3.04% | 3.00% |
| Dividend yield | 0.54% | 0.81% |
| 1-year price change | +8.08% | +13.34% |
| Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Staples |
| Industry | Discount Stores | Discount Stores |
Source: Exchange price data and company financial statements. Data as of Nov 6, 2026. Data sources and methodology
Interactive COST vs WMT Comparison
Performance Comparison
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Comparison Results
Marked values are the best in their row where higher or lower is clearly better.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is bigger, COST or WMT?
Walmart Inc. (WMT) is larger as of Nov 6, 2026, with a market capitalization of $1.00T against $468.16B for Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST), about 2.1 times the size.
Which stock is cheaper, COST or WMT?
On trailing earnings WMT is cheaper as of Nov 6, 2026: it trades at 45.4x versus 50.7x for COST. On forward earnings COST trades at 43.1x and WMT at 42.4x. A lower multiple can also reflect slower expected growth.
Which pays a higher dividend, COST or WMT?
WMT pays more as of Nov 6, 2026: its dividend yield is 0.81% versus 0.54% for COST.
Which has performed better, COST or WMT?
WMT has done better over the past year to Nov 6, 2026: its shares changed +13.34% against +8.08% for COST. These are price changes and exclude dividends.