Costco Wholesale Corporation vs iShares MSCI Japan ETF — how do they compare? Costco Wholesale Corporation trades at $946.2 (market cap $420.05B), while iShares MSCI Japan ETF trades at $97.88 (market cap $23.87B). The key difference: Costco Wholesale Corporation is far larger — about 17.6× iShares MSCI Japan ETF's market cap, and Costco Wholesale Corporation pays a 0.62% dividend while iShares MSCI Japan ETF pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold Costco Wholesale Corporation for 133 Days and iShares MSCI Japan ETF for 56 Days on average.
| COST | EWJ | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $420.05B | $23.87B |
Volume | 2,087,565 | 5,412,820 |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Broad Market / Factor |
52-Week High | $1.09K | $99.32 |
52-Week Low | $849.63 | $78.36 |
Typical Hold Time | 133 Days | 56 Days |
Enterprise Value | $407.33B | — |
Dividend Yield | 0.62% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
COST trades at $944.20, up 0.21% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages but overbought RSI readings. The company reported strong March 2026 sales growth of 11.3% year-over-year (Costco Wholesale Corporation, April 8, 2026) and has shown consistent revenue and net income growth, with fiscal 2025 revenue at $275.24B and net income at $8.10B. Analyst consensus is strongly bullish with a $1,100 price target, though valuation ratios like a P/E of 45.66 are elevated.
The outlook remains positive due to robust membership fee growth and expansion, but risks include high valuation sensitivity and competitive pressures. Upside is supported by strong institutional buying and earnings beats, though any market pullback could pressure the stock given its premium multiples.
EWJ, the iShares MSCI Japan ETF, trades at $97.76, down 0.57% on the day amid mixed technical signals with a neutral overall rating. The ETF faces headwinds from Japan's monetary policy uncertainty as the Bank of Japan continues its tightening cycle, while benefiting from international equity outperformance trends in 2026. Technical indicators show the ETF trading near pivot point resistance at $98 with support at $97.
The outlook remains balanced with potential upside from Japan's AI and semiconductor exposure offset by currency volatility and rising bond yields. Key risks include yen fluctuations and global rate pressures, while institutional interest in Japanese equities provides support. The ETF's performance will hinge on BOJ policy effectiveness and sustained international market strength.
Trailing returns across standard periods
What Pluang investors did over the last 30 days
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 →EWJ tracks the MSCI Japan Index, providing broad exposure to over 180 large and mid-cap companies in Japan. It is the most established and liquid vehicle for accessing the Japanese equity market, featuring a diversified portfolio across industrials, consumer discretionary, and financial sectors.
Read more on EWJ →