Costco Wholesale Corporation vs Dow Inc — how do they compare? Costco Wholesale Corporation trades at $924.21 (market cap $408.78B), while Dow Inc trades at $29.99 (market cap $21.85B). The key difference: Costco Wholesale Corporation is far larger — about 18.7× Dow Inc's market cap, and Dow Inc pays the higher dividend (4.62%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| COST | DOW | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $408.78B | $21.85B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Basic Materials |
52-Week High | $1.09K | $41.87 |
52-Week Low | $849.63 | $20.65 |
Enterprise Value | $396.92B | $37.62B |
Dividend Yield | 0.64% | 4.62% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Costco (COST) trades at $920.54, down 0.64% on the day, with a bearish technical signal from moving averages. The company reported revenue of $275.24 billion in 2025, with net income of $8.10 billion, and recently announced strong March sales growth of 11.3% year-over-year (GlobeNewsWire, 2026-04-08). Analyst consensus is strongly bullish with a $1,120 price target, supported by 38 buy ratings.
The stock's high P/E of 46.37 reflects premium valuation, but consistent revenue growth and membership fee increases underpin fundamentals. Risks include competitive pressures and sensitivity to consumer spending. Upside potential exists if the stock pulls back toward support levels, aligning with analyst targets.
DOW trades at $30.37, up 4.62% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages despite negative profitability metrics. The company reported a net loss of $2.62 billion for 2025, though it has beaten EPS estimates for three consecutive quarters. Recent news highlights Dow's inclusion in discussions about materials stocks benefiting from oil price spikes, while cash flow trends show improved net cash generation in 2025.
The outlook is mixed: analyst consensus suggests 19% upside to the $36.11 price target, but high P/E of 75.93 and negative margins pose valuation risks. Key opportunities include dividend payments and earnings beats, while risks involve sustained profitability challenges and rising debt-to-asset ratios nearing 30%.
Trailing returns across standard periods
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 →Dow Inc is a diversified chemical manufacturing company. It combining science and technology to develop innovative solutions that are essential to human progress. Dow's portfolio is comprised of six global business units, organized into three operating segments: Packaging & Specialty Plastics, Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure, and Performance Materials & Coatings.
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