Albertsons Companies Inc vs Costco Wholesale Corporation — how do they compare? Albertsons Companies Inc trades at $12.19 (market cap $5.89B), while Costco Wholesale Corporation trades at $941.99 (market cap $422.52B). The key difference: Costco Wholesale Corporation is far larger — about 71.7× Albertsons Companies Inc's market cap, and Albertsons Companies Inc pays the higher dividend (5.61%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ACI | COST | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $5.89B | $422.52B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $19.74 | $1.09K |
52-Week Low | $11.03 | $849.63 |
Enterprise Value | $21.29B | $410.66B |
Dividend Yield | 5.61% | 0.62% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Albertsons (ACI) trades at $12.01, down 0.58% with bearish technical signals despite recent insider buying by the CEO and CFO. The company reported mixed Q2 2026 earnings with a miss on EPS expectations but maintains strong revenue growth trends. Valuation metrics show a high P/E ratio of 75.06 but attractive P/S of 0.08, while profitability remains challenged with net margins at just 0.08%.
The outlook remains cautious with analyst consensus at Buy (35%) but significant legal investigations and margin pressure creating headwinds. The $13.20 price target offers 10% upside potential, though execution risks and competitive grocery market dynamics require careful monitoring for sustained recovery.
Costco (COST) trades at $952.75, up 0.52% with neutral technical signals. The company shows steady revenue growth, reaching $275.24B in 2025, and maintains strong profitability with a 3.01% net margin. Recent earnings beat expectations in Q3 and Q4 2025 but missed in Q1 2026. Analyst sentiment remains bullish with 65.52% buy ratings and a $1,120 consensus price target, while institutional buying activity continues.
Costco's outlook is positive due to membership fee growth and expansion, though high valuation multiples (P/E 47.93) pose risks. Key opportunities include consistent cash flow generation and market share gains, while risks involve competitive pressures and economic sensitivity. The stock offers long-term growth potential but requires monitoring of valuation metrics.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Albertsons is the second-largest traditional grocer in America, operating 2,276 stores under 24 banners in 34 states (as of the end of fiscal 2021). Around 75% of stores have pharmacies, while nearly 20% also sell fuel. Albertsons has a significant private-label operation, accounting for around 20% of sales (excluding fuel). While its own brand assortment is mainly manufactured by third parties, Albertsons operates 20 food production plants (as of the end of fiscal 2021). Albertsons is a top-two grocer in two thirds of its major markets (as of early 2022, according to company data), and virtually all of its sales come from the United States.
Read more on ACI →The leading warehouse club, Costco has 815 stores worldwide (at the end of fiscal 2021), with most sales derived in the United States (72%) and Canada (14%). It sells memberships that allow customers to shop in its warehouses, which feature low prices on a limited product assortment. Costco mainly caters to individual shoppers, but roughly 20% of paid members carry business memberships. Food and sundries accounted for 40% of fiscal 2021 sales, with non-food merchandise 29%, warehouse ancillary and other businesses (such as fuel and pharmacy) nearly 17%, and fresh food 14%. Costco's warehouses average around 146,000 square feet
Read more on COST →