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Costco Wholesale vs Walmart: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

Costco Wholesale leads structurally, with growth as the clearest single gap between the two profiles. The remaining gap is narrow enough that the comparison remains open to different readings. The market setup is mixed, without a decisive signal in either direction. The market is not adding a decisive signal either way — the structural read carries the weight.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels.

Updated 2026-04-05

Growth still does most of the heavy lifting in this comparison. The overall score gap is 8 points in favour of Costco Wholesale Corporation.

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Discount Stores

This comparison is based on industry proximity, not on functional trajectory similarity. COST and WMT share the same industry classification.

For a similarity-based comparison, see how Costco Wholesale and Walmart each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.

Peer-Relative Score
COST
Costco Wholesale Corporation
66
Peer-Score
Signal qualityMedium
vs
WMT
Walmart Inc.
58
Peer-Score
Signal qualityMedium

Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.

The clearest separation appears in growth.

Dimension spread: COST vs WMT Profitability 76 73 Stability 67 76 Valuation 41 43 Growth 86 39 COST WMT
Gap Ranking
#1 Growth +47
#2 Stability +9
#3 Profitability +3
#4 Valuation +2
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for COST and WMT Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer COSTWMT Relative valuation Structural strength

The setup is mixed: neither company clearly combines the stronger profile with the more supportive price setup.

Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Growth
On growth, Costco Wholesale Corporation ranks near the top of the group; Walmart Inc. sits in the weaker half.
Stability
Even on stability, where both profiles remain strong, Costco Wholesale Corporation still holds the higher peer position.
Growth — Dominant Gap
COST
86
WMT
39
Gap+47in favour of COST

Earnings growth is one contributing factor within the growth lead.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

Walmart Inc. still looks less cycle-sensitive — that keeps the result from looking completely one-sided.

What this means for the comparison

Growth answers the question more clearly than the overall score separation does.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the COST vs WMT comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Similar growth-driven comparisons

Explore how COST and WMT each compare against other companies in their peer groups.

Rule-based, descriptive analysis only. Derived from peer percentile dimensions. Not investment advice. Peer groups are determined algorithmically based on structural similarity — not by sector classification alone.

How AssetNext Peer Scores Work

AssetNext scores reflect each company's structural position within its functional peer group — not a ranking against all stocks simultaneously. Peers are identified by similarity across eight financial dimensions, including revenue growth trajectory, margin structure, capital intensity, and earnings stability. A score of 75 means the company ranks in the top quartile within its own peer group, not the entire market.

Four dimension scores drive the overall peer score: Growth (revenue trajectory and expansion dynamics), Quality (margin structure and capital efficiency), Valuation (peer-relative pricing on standard multiples), and Stability (earnings consistency and financial predictability). Each dimension is scored 0–100 relative to the peer group, then combined into an overall peer score using equal weighting.

Scores are recalculated periodically as underlying financial data is updated. All analysis is descriptive and rule-based — AssetNext describes structural realities and never issues buy, sell or hold recommendations.