AFLAC Incorporated vs Costco Wholesale Corporation — how do they compare? AFLAC Incorporated trades at $121.06 (market cap $61.13B), while Costco Wholesale Corporation trades at $941.23 (market cap $422.52B). The key difference: Costco Wholesale Corporation is far larger — about 6.9× AFLAC Incorporated's market cap, and AFLAC Incorporated pays the higher dividend (2%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AFL | COST | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $61.13B | $422.52B |
Sector | Financials | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $129.55 | $1.09K |
52-Week Low | $103.55 | $849.63 |
Enterprise Value | $71.08B | $410.66B |
Dividend Yield | 2% | 0.62% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Aflac (AFL) trades at $124.61, down 1.62% with recent earnings misses and bearish technical signals. The stock shows mixed fundamentals with a P/E of 13.44 and net income margin of 26.79%, though revenue declined to $17.36B in 2025. Recent news highlights Japan unit challenges and dividend reliability, with the company maintaining 43 consecutive years of dividend increases.
Outlook remains cautious with analyst consensus at Hold (56.24%) and price target of $117.60 below current levels. Key risks include foreign exchange headwinds and competitive pressures, while the dividend yield and strong cash flow provide support for income-focused investors amid near-term volatility.
Costco (COST) trades at $952.75, up 0.52% with a neutral technical outlook. The stock shows strong fundamentals with revenue growth from $254.5B in 2024 to $275.2B in 2025 and net income reaching $8.1B. Recent March sales surged 11.3% year-over-year to $28.41B. Valuation metrics remain elevated with P/E at 47.93 and P/S at 1.44. Analyst consensus is strongly bullish with 65.5% buy ratings and a $1,120 price target.
The investment case centers on Costco's membership-driven profit engine and consistent execution, though high valuation presents near-term risk. Upside potential exists if the company maintains its premium growth trajectory, while any earnings disappointment could trigger valuation compression. The recent membership fee increase and strong renewal rates support margin expansion prospects.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Aflac Inc offers supplemental health insurance and life insurance in the two largest insurance markets in the world, the U.S. and Japan. In addition to its cancer policies, the company has broadened its product offerings to include accidents, disability, and long-term-care insurance. It markets its products through independent distributors, selling most of its policies directly to consumers at their places of work.
Read more on AFL →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 →