American Financial Group Inc vs Costco Wholesale Corporation — how do they compare? American Financial Group Inc trades at $144.51 (market cap $11.97B), while Costco Wholesale Corporation trades at $946 (market cap $418.79B). The key difference: Costco Wholesale Corporation is far larger — about 35× American Financial Group Inc's market cap, and American Financial Group Inc pays the higher dividend (2.44%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AFG | COST | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $11.97B | $418.79B |
Sector | Financials | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $148.71 | $1.09K |
52-Week Low | $124.18 | $849.63 |
Enterprise Value | $12.35B | $406.93B |
Dividend Yield | 2.44% | 0.62% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
AFG trades at $142.77, down 0.76% on the day, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages and a neutral RSI near 59. The stock shows consistent profitability with a net income margin of 11.66% and ROE of 20.41%, though revenue dipped slightly in 2025. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat estimates, driven by strong P&C underwriting and investment income, as reported by Business Wire on August 4, 2026.
The outlook remains positive with a consensus price target of $160.67, implying 12.5% upside. Risks include potential earnings volatility and competitive pressures in the insurance sector. Analyst sentiment is mixed with 41% buy ratings, but no sell recommendations, supporting a cautiously optimistic view for long-term investors.
COST trades at $952.75, up 0.52% today, with a neutral technical signal. The stock shows strong fundamentals, including revenue growth to $275.24B in 2025 and consistent earnings beats, though Q1 2026 missed estimates. Positive sentiment is driven by a 65.52% analyst buy rating and a consensus price target of $1,120. Recent news highlights membership fee hikes and robust March sales, supporting investor confidence.
Outlook remains favorable due to steady growth and high institutional ownership, but risks include elevated valuation (P/E 47.5) and competitive pressures. The stock offers long-term potential if earnings momentum continues, though near-term volatility may persist amid market fluctuations.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
American Financial Group Inc is a holding company that is engaged primarily in property and casualty insurance services. The company has a focus on specialized commercial products for businesses. American also has annuity operations that are focused on sales of traditional fixed and fixed-indexed annuities in the education, bank, and individual markets. American's insurance operations are conducted through the Great American Insurance Group. The group writes business in all 50 of the United States, primarily through independent agents and brokers.
Read more on AFG →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 →