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.
Consumer Staples stock comparison
COST vs WMT: which business are you actually underwriting?
Compare Costco Wholesale Corporation with Walmart Inc. 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
- Same SIC
- Shared themes
- 2
- Updated
- 2026-03-13
COST vs WMT: quick comparison
| Company fact | COST | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Costco Wholesale Corporation | Walmart Inc. |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| Headquarters | Issaquah, Washington | Bentonville, Arkansas |
| Founded | 1983 | 1962 |
| SEC industry | Retail-Variety Stores | Retail-Variety Stores |
| Fiscal year-end | August 30 | January 31 |
| Latest annual filing | 10-K · 2025-10-08 | 10-K · 2026-03-13 |
How the businesses differ
Walmart Inc. (WMT)
Walmart is the world's largest retailer by revenue, operating supercenters, warehouse clubs, and a fast-growing e-commerce and advertising business. Its scale in groceries makes it a barometer of US consumer health.
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. COST is classified by the SEC as Retail-Variety Stores, while WMT is classified as Retail-Variety Stores. The matching industry code strengthens the peer comparison, although product mix can still differ materially.
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 COST when…
- Input-cost inflation and pricing power
- Private-label competition and volume trends
- Currency, given large international revenue
- Defensive rotation when growth slows
Study WMT 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.COST's fiscal year ends August 30, while WMT's ends January 31. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.
The current verified House Clerk snapshot contains 0matched transaction rows for COSTand 0 for WMT. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.
COST primary filings
WMT 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.
COST vs WMT FAQs
Are COST and WMT direct competitors?
Costco Wholesale Corporation and Walmart Inc. share the SEC industry classification “Retail-Variety Stores.” That makes the operating comparison relevant, but it does not prove that every product, customer, or revenue stream competes directly.
Which is better, COST or WMT?
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 COST vs WMT 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 COST vs WMT.
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