Costco Wholesale Corporation vs Diageo plc — how do they compare? Costco Wholesale Corporation trades at $947 (market cap $418.79B), while Diageo plc trades at $93.39 (market cap $53.05B). The key difference: Costco Wholesale Corporation is far larger — about 7.9× Diageo plc's market cap, and Diageo plc pays the higher dividend (3.5%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| COST | DEO | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $418.79B | $53.05B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Technology |
52-Week High | $1.09K | $115.33 |
52-Week Low | $849.63 | $72.47 |
Enterprise Value | $406.93B | $72.54B |
Dividend Yield | 0.62% | 3.5% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
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.
Diageo (DEO) trades at $93.61, down 3.6% over 24 hours, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages but overbought RSI readings. The company reported mixed FY2026 results with a 2% organic sales decline but 2% operating profit growth, supported by cost savings. A new $1 billion savings plan and focus on spirits and Guinness aim to drive a turnaround, with cash flow from operations strong at $4.4 billion in 2026.
The outlook is cautiously optimistic, with analyst consensus leaning buy (49%) amid execution of the cost-cutting strategy. Risks include North America weakness and competitive pressures, but valuation metrics like P/E of 30.5 reflect growth expectations. The stock offers potential for recovery if management delivers on efficiency gains and market share stabilization.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, and Guinness. It operates a vast portfolio of spirits and beers across more than 180 countries.
Read more on DEO →