Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. vs Costco Wholesale Corporation — how do they compare? Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. trades at $308.56 (market cap $68.63B), while Costco Wholesale Corporation trades at $942.95 (market cap $422.52B). The key difference: Costco Wholesale Corporation is far larger — about 6.2× Air Products & Chemicals, Inc.'s market cap, and Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. pays the higher dividend (2.35%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| APD | COST | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $68.63B | $422.52B |
Sector | Basic Materials | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $314.19 | $1.09K |
52-Week Low | $230.42 | $849.63 |
Enterprise Value | $85.80B | $410.66B |
Dividend Yield | 2.35% | 0.62% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Air Products and Chemicals (APD) trades at $303.44, up 1.17% today, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages and recent earnings beats. The stock shows strong analyst support with a consensus price target of $346, though high valuation ratios like a P/E of 30.86 and EV/EBITDA of 50.36 raise concerns. Recent news highlights a major semiconductor supply deal in Taiwan and raised guidance after Q3 2026 results.
The outlook is mixed: positive momentum from contract wins and earnings performance offers upside, but negative net income margins and elevated debt levels pose risks. Investors should weigh growth catalysts against financial leverage and profitability challenges.
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
Since its founding in 1940, Air Products has become one of the leading industrial gas suppliers globally, with operations in 50 countries and 19,000 employees. The company is the largest supplier of hydrogen and helium in the world. It has a unique portfolio serving customers in a number of industries, including chemicals, energy, healthcare, metals, and electronics. Air Products generated $10.3 billion in revenue in fiscal 2021.
Read more on APD →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 →