Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (ADM)
Archer-Daniels-Midland processes and trades agricultural commodities such as grains, oilseeds, and food ingredients.
Consumer Staples stock comparison
ADM vs COST: which business are you actually underwriting?
Compare Archer-Daniels-Midland Company with Costco Wholesale Corporation using their business models, SEC classifications, fiscal calendars, current primary filings, and the research questions that matter. This is a thesis framework—not a price target or automatic winner.
- Sector
- Consumer
- Industry
- Different SIC
- Shared themes
- 2
- Updated
- 2026-02-17
ADM vs COST: quick comparison
| Company fact | ADM | COST |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Archer-Daniels-Midland Company | Costco Wholesale Corporation |
| Exchange | NYSE | NASDAQ |
| Headquarters | Not recorded | Issaquah, Washington |
| Founded | Not recorded | 1983 |
| SEC industry | Fats & Oils | Retail-Variety Stores |
| Fiscal year-end | December 31 | August 30 |
| Latest annual filing | 10-K · 2026-02-17 | 10-K · 2025-10-08 |
How the businesses differ
Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST)
Costco runs a membership warehouse-club model that earns much of its profit from annual membership fees rather than product markups. High renewal rates and bulk pricing have built a loyal customer base.
The useful starting point is not which ticker has performed better. It is whether the two companies convert the same economic forces into revenue and cash flow in the same way. ADM is classified by the SEC as Fats & Oils, while COST is classified as Retail-Variety Stores. The different industry codes are a warning against treating sector membership as proof of identical economics.
Which thesis does each company fit?
Use the distinction below to decide which filing deserves deeper work. It is a research routing rule, not a recommendation or prediction.
Study ADM when…
- Input-cost inflation and pricing power
- Private-label competition and volume trends
- Currency, given large international revenue
- Defensive rotation when growth slows
Study COST when…
- Input-cost inflation and pricing power
- Private-label competition and volume trends
- Currency, given large international revenue
- Defensive rotation when growth slows
Shared research themes
US marketsEconomic trends
SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence
Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable.ADM's fiscal year ends December 31, while COST's ends August 30. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.
The current verified House Clerk snapshot contains 0matched transaction rows for ADMand 0 for COST. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.
ADM primary filings
COST primary filings
What this comparison cannot tell you
This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.
A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.
ADM vs COST FAQs
Are ADM and COST direct competitors?
Archer-Daniels-Midland Company and Costco Wholesale Corporation sit in the same Consumer Staples sector but have different SEC industry classifications. The comparison is most useful for portfolio role and sector exposure, not as a claim that every product competes directly.
Which is better, ADM or COST?
There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.
Does this ADM vs COST comparison include live prices?
No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices, then use the primary filings here to test the business thesis.
Where does the company information come from?
Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-08-10. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.
Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-08-10. Independent educational research; not investment advice.
Go beyond ADM vs COST.
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