COST vs WMT
Costco (COST) and Walmart (WMT) compared side by side. Walmart (WMT) is larger, with a market cap of $954.1B versus $444.6B for Costco, about 2.1 times the size. On trailing earnings, WMT is cheaper at 43.4x versus 48.3x for COST.
Head to head
| Metric | COST | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $444.6B | $954.1B |
| P/E (TTM) | 48.3x | 43.4x |
| Forward P/E | 40.1x | 37.2x |
| Revenue (TTM) | $303.2B | $735.8B |
| Revenue growth | 11.1% | 5.9% |
| Gross margin | 12.8% | 24.8% |
| Operating margin | 3.8% | 3.5% |
| Free cash flow | $9.4B | $13.5B |
| Dividend yield | 0.59% | 0.83% |
| 1-year return | +7.1% | +13.1% |
| 5-year return (annual) | +17.0% | +20.9% |
| Max drawdown | -62% | -77% |
| FI Handbook grade | C- | C- |
Highlighted: the stronger figure on metrics where higher or lower is clearly better.
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COST vs WMT FAQ
Which is bigger, COST or WMT?
Walmart (WMT) is larger, with a market cap of $954.1B versus $444.6B for Costco, about 2.1 times the size.
Is COST or WMT cheaper?
On trailing earnings, WMT is cheaper at 43.4x versus 48.3x for COST. A lower P/E can reflect slower expected growth, so compare growth and margins too.
Which stock performed better over the past year, COST or WMT?
WMT returned +13.1% over the past year including dividends, versus +7.1% for COST, through October 23, 2026.
Which pays a higher dividend, COST or WMT?
WMT yields 0.83% versus 0.59% for COST.