Costco Wholesale Corporation vs Gap Inc — how do they compare? Costco Wholesale Corporation trades at $920 (market cap $410.85B), while Gap Inc trades at $20.03 (market cap $7.13B). The key difference: Costco Wholesale Corporation is far larger — about 57.6× Gap Inc's market cap, and Gap Inc pays the higher dividend (3.54%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| COST | GAP | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $410.85B | $7.13B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $1.09K | $29.13 |
52-Week Low | $849.63 | $18.35 |
Enterprise Value | $398.99B | $10.21B |
Dividend Yield | 0.63% | 3.54% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
COST trades at $926.43, up 1.11% today, with a bearish technical signal but strong fundamentals. Revenue grew to $275.24B in 2025, with net income up to $8.10B, and March 2026 sales surged 11.3% year-over-year (Costco report, April 8, 2026). Valuation ratios are elevated, with a P/E of 46.6, while analyst consensus is bullish with a $1,120 price target. Recent membership fee hikes and institutional buying support growth prospects.
Outlook remains positive due to steady revenue growth and high membership renewal rates, but risks include rich valuations and competitive pressures. The stock offers long-term value if pullbacks occur, with earnings momentum key for upside. Bearish technicals suggest near-term caution, though fundamentals underpin investor confidence.
Gap Inc. (GAP) trades at $19.80, up 1.75% today, with a bearish technical signal despite neutral oscillators. The stock shows strong fundamentals with a P/E of 7.86 and net income margin of 6.25%, supported by a 10-quarter positive comp trend. Recent news highlights a digital transformation with AI-led marketing and ongoing legal investigations.
The outlook is mixed; valuation metrics suggest upside to the $27 consensus target, but near-term risks include legal probes and Athleta's turnaround pace. Earnings growth and margin expansion remain key catalysts, though investor sentiment is cautious amid bearish technicals and competitive pressures.
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 →Gap retails apparel, accessories, and personal-care products under the Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Athleta brands. Old Navy generates more than half of Gap's sales. The firm also operates e-commerce sites, outlet stores, and specialty stores under various Gap names. Gap operates nearly 3,000 stores in North America, Europe, and Asia and franchises about 600 stores in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and other regions. Gap was founded in 1969 and is based in San Francisco.
Read more on GAP →